Word
Definitions
01social tradition
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a way of behaving or a belief that has been established for a long time in a group of people.
n. a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time.
“It is a local custom to exchange small gifts during the spring festival.”
“The anthropologist spent three years documenting the unique burial customs of the mountain tribes before their oral traditions were lost to modernization.”
Synonyms
02business patronage
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun British English
n. the support or regular business given to a shop or company by its customers.
n. the regular patronage or support provided to a commercial establishment by its clientele.
“The small bakery relies on the custom of the people living in the village.”
“The shopkeeper feared that the opening of a large supermarket nearby would draw away the loyal custom he had cultivated over decades.”
03made-to-order
B1 · Intermediate
adj. made specially for one person rather than being a standard item from a shop.
adj. made or done to order for a particular customer; specifically designed to meet individual requirements.
“He ordered a custom suit for his wedding so that it would fit him perfectly.”
“The software firm provides custom solutions for logistics companies that find off-the-shelf applications inadequate for their specific operational needs.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04legal practice
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. a long-established practice that is treated as a law.
n. a usage or practice of the people which, by common adoption and long unvarying habit, has become compulsory and has acquired the force of law.
“In some regions, the right to use the path is based on ancient custom rather than written law.”
“The court ruled that the local custom of grazing cattle on the common land had been established for long enough to constitute a legal right.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “custom” in context.
Verb
01. break custom
“He decided to break with custom and wear a casual suit to the wedding.”
verb + noun
02. custom dictates
“Custom dictates that the youngest member of the family speaks first.”
noun + verb
03. custom survives
“The custom survives in rural areas despite modern influences.”
noun + verb
04. follow custom
“We followed the family custom of eating a large brunch on Sundays.”
verb + noun
05. observe custom
“Visitors are expected to observe the local custom of removing their shoes.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. ancient custom
“The village still practices the ancient custom of lighting fires on the hills.”
adj + noun
07. established custom
“The ceremony followed established custom without any changes.”
adj + noun
08. local custom
“It is important to respect local custom when traveling abroad.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. matter of custom
“The seating arrangement was simply a matter of custom.”
noun + prep + noun
10. according to local custom
“According to local custom, the festival begins at sunrise.”
11. honor a long-standing custom
“The town continues to honor a long-standing custom of hosting a spring fair.”
12. in accordance with custom
“The funeral was held in accordance with ancient custom.”
Confusables
Custom is a repeated social practice; costume is a specific style of clothing.
RememberCustom = Culture. Costume = Clothes.
Etymology
PIE word *ḱóm PIE word *swé From Middle English custume, borrowed from Anglo-Norman custume, inherited from Latin consuētūdinem, a noun derived from cōnsuēscō, from con- (“with”) + suēscō (“become used or accustomed to”). Doublet of costume, consuetude, and kastom. The adjectival form first appears c. 1830.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/custom
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0