tradition

American  

[truh-dish-uhn] / trəˈdɪʃ ən /

noun

• traditions
  plural

1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.

   a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.

2. something that is handed down.

   the traditions of the American South.

   Synonyms:

   usage, convention, habit, practice, custom

3. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting.

   The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.

4. a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.

5. a customary or characteristic method or manner.

   The winner took a victory lap in the usual track tradition.

6. Theology.

   1. (among Jews) body of laws and doctrines, or any one of them, held to have been received from Moses and originally handed down orally from generation to generation.

   2. (among Christians) a body of teachings, or any one of them, held to have been delivered by Christ and His apostles but not originally committed to writing.

   3. (among Muslims) a hadith.

7. Law. an act of handing over something to another, especially in a formal legal manner; delivery; transfer.

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tradition British  

/ trəˈdɪʃən /

noun

1. the handing down from generation to generation of the same customs, beliefs, etc, esp by word of mouth

2. the body of customs, thought, practices, etc, belonging to a particular country, people, family, or institution over a relatively long period

3. a specific custom or practice of long standing

4. Christianity a doctrine or body of doctrines regarded as having been established by Christ or the apostles though not contained in Scripture

5. (often capital) Judaism a body of laws regarded as having been handed down from Moses orally and only committed to writing in the 2nd century _ad

6. the beliefs and customs of Islam supplementing the Koran, esp as embodied in the Sunna

7. law Roman law Scots law the act of formally transferring ownership of movable property; delivery

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• countertradition
  noun
• nontradition
  noun
• traditionist
  noun
• antitradition
  adjective
• protradition
  adjective
• traditionless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• traditions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tradition

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English tradicion, from Old French, from Latin trāditiōn- (stem of trāditiō ) “a handing over or down, transfer,” equivalent to trādit(us), past participle of trādere “to give over, impart, surrender, betray” ( trā-, variant of trāns- trans- + -ditus, combining form of datus “given”; see date ¹) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

Traditions are longstanding customs and practices. It might be a family tradition to open Christmas presents on Christmas Eve, started because your parents were too impatient to wait. The noun tradition has Latin roots in the word tradere, which means hand over or hand down. So think of a tradition as something that is handed down from one generation to another. Fireworks on the Fourth of July are a national tradition, and playing your school's fight song at the start of the football game is probably a longstanding tradition designed to get the fans excited for the game.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tradition traditions

Her decades-spanning relationship with the Opry helped cement its status as both a guardian of country music tradition and a stage for modern stars.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Ogogo, who had been suffering from cancer, is due to be buried on Monday in his hometown in Ogun state, south-west Nigeria, in line with Muslim tradition, according to fellow actor Prince Jide Kosoko.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

While clearly rooted in some serious history and tradition, according to Spohn, fencing’s representation in media is its most powerful draw.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

Nestled in the wooded hills of Austria's Styria region, the town of Leoben oozes tradition with its pastel-coloured buildings and quaint central square boasting a 13th-century church.

From Barron's ● Aug. 23, 2026

Rabbinic tradition compelled him to accept the biblical account of the universe’s creation from the void.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Romero also pointed out that Aztec culinary traditions are being revived in cutting-edge gastronomy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

"His Majesty leaves behind a Prince as his heir, whose identity will be formally revealed at the appropriate time, in accordance with the traditions and customs of Tooro Kingdom," he explained.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

While the Spanish conquistadors methodically tried to erase Aztec cultural traditions and language, it didn’t work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

And after failed attempts from managers to mould the team into a slower, more measured, possession-heavy side, Carrick is aiming to create a style and system that mirrors United's traditions.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

“Yes, it's a Jewish tradition. And I think you may have some similar Arabic traditions, too.”

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

Related Words

• belief
• culture
• custom
• ethic
• folklore
• form
• habit
• heritage
• idea
• institution
• law
• legend
• lore
• myth
• mythology
• orthodoxy
• practice
• ritual
• wisdom