traditional
Americanadjective
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of or relating to beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., handed down from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.
While in Kyoto I experienced a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
We use only traditional, time-tested methods to make our wines.
They gave us a book of traditional stories from the Inuit culture.
- Synonyms:
- established, customary, conventional
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in accordance with customs or beliefs handed down from generation to generation.
It is traditional in some cultures for the bride to be given away by her father.
- Synonyms:
- established, customary, conventional
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designating any of various Indigenous or folk religions that do not have a primary founder, written scriptures, or buildings for public worship, and that revolve around practice, ritual, and ceremony rather than systems of doctrine or belief.
Many of our First Peoples, especially those living on treaty lands, continue to practice traditional religion.
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(of a person) adhering or conforming to customs, beliefs, values, etc., handed down from generation to generation; preferring what is old or long established; old-fashioned.
My mom and dad are very traditional and often clash with modern expectations.
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of, relating to, or characteristic of the older styles of jazz, especially New Orleans style, Chicago style, Kansas City style, and Dixieland.
adjective
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of, relating to, or being a tradition
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of or relating to the style of jazz originating in New Orleans, characterized by collective improvisation by a front line of trumpet, trombone, and clarinet accompanied by various rhythm instruments
Other Word Forms
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antitraditionaladjective
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antitraditionallyadverb
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nontraditionaladjective
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nontraditionallyadverb
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nontraditionaryadjective
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pretraditionaladjective
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protraditionaladjective
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quasi-traditionaladjective
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quasi-traditionallyadverb
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semitraditionaladjective
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semitraditionallyadverb
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traditionalitynoun
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traditionallyadverb
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untraditionaladjective
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untraditionallyadverb
Etymology
Origin of traditional
First recorded in 1585–95; from Medieval Latin trāditiōnālis; equivalent to tradition + -al 1
Explanation
Traditional can describe anything that follows tradition, or a usual way of doing things. Traditional Mexican food includes tortillas and beans. A bag of corn chips with chili and fake cheese sauce, on the other hand, is not traditional. A tradition can be personal or national, and the adjective traditional has tons of uses. Traditional football might require a brown pigskin ball or a white soccer ball, depending on where you live. Your traditional national costume could be a sari, while your friend's is a kimono. And that walking taco? It's traditional carnival food for some.
Vocabulary lists containing traditional
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 1
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Many oncologists now use blood tests to answer that question months before a traditional scan could.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
At the same time, Dell’s traditional server business should benefit from data-center modernization and refreshes.
From Barron's • May 14, 2026
Dr. Nester explained that eDNA is especially valuable for detecting fragile, fast-moving, or elusive marine species that may escape traditional nets and underwater cameras.
From Science Daily • May 14, 2026
Her entry uses traditional Greek instruments and references the popular belly dance Tsifteteli.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
A good performer will be familiar with dozens of ragas and can improvise music — traditional classical music in India is improvised — using the accepted format for each raga.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
