traditional
Americanadjective
-
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
-
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
-
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.
-
(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.
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of the older styles of jazz, especially New Orleans style, Chicago style, Kansas City style, and Dixieland.
adjective
-
of, relating to, or being a tradition
-
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
- antitraditional adjective
- antitraditionally adverb
- nontraditional adjective
- nontraditionally adverb
- nontraditionary adjective
- pretraditional adjective
- protraditional adjective
- quasi-traditional adjective
- quasi-traditionally adverb
- semitraditional adjective
- semitraditionally adverb
- traditionality noun
- traditionally adverb
- untraditional adjective
- untraditionally adverb
Etymology
Origin of traditional
First recorded in 1585–95; from Medieval Latin trāditiōnālis; equivalent to tradition + -al 1
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.
People published photos from their outdoor California ceremony, in which Steinfeld wore a white strapless gown, mesh gloves and her veil and Allen wore a traditional tuxedo.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
Hansen has said the patch is his way of recognising the Indigenous peoples in Canada and their traditional knowledge.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
It’s easily the most popular choice of the bunch with a whopping $1.5 trillion in assets between its ETF and traditional mutual fund versions.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
The tech is not a replacement for traditional exercise, he said, though he cited research that shows EMS may offer “modest to moderate improvements in muscle strength,” especially when combined with movement.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
This traditional Japanese form of storytelling will draw students in while they make connections with music, the visual arts, language arts, history, culture, and character education.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
