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REFERENCE

custom

n. · adj.
US //ˈkəstəm// UK //kˈʌstəm// cus·tom
  1. 1 social tradition (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a way of behaving or a belief that has been established for a long time in a group of people.

    a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something that is specific to a particular society, place, or time.

    Example

    It is a local custom to exchange small gifts during the spring festival.

    Example

    The anthropologist spent three years documenting the unique burial customs of the mountain tribes before their oral traditions were lost to modernization.
  2. 2 business patronage (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English

    the support or regular business given to a shop or company by its customers.

    the regular patronage or support provided to a commercial establishment by its clientele.

    Example

    The small bakery relies on the custom of the people living in the village.

    Example

    The shopkeeper feared that the opening of a large supermarket nearby would draw away the loyal custom he had cultivated over decades.
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  1. 3 made-to-order (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    made specially for one person rather than being a standard item from a shop.

    made or done to order for a particular customer; specifically designed to meet individual requirements.

    Example

    He ordered a custom suit for his wedding so that it would fit him perfectly.

    Example

    The software firm provides custom solutions for logistics companies that find off-the-shelf applications inadequate for their specific operational needs.
  2. 4 legal practice (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    a long-established practice that is treated as a law.

    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.

    Example

    In some regions, the right to use the path is based on ancient custom rather than written law.

    Example

    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.
Origin

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.

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