ENGLISH
REFERENCE

customary

adj. · n.
US //ˈkəstəˌmɛɹi// UK //kˈʌstəməɹi// cus·tom·ary
  1. 1 usual or traditional (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    describes something that people usually do in a particular society or situation.

    conforming to or established by long-standing custom or social convention.

    Example

    It is customary to tip the waiter about fifteen percent in this country.

    Example

    In many Mediterranean cultures, it remains customary to close shops during the hottest hours of the afternoon for a communal rest period.

    Usage

    Often used in the pattern 'it is customary to [verb]' or 'it is customary for [someone] to'.
  2. 2 legal/habitual rights (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    describes a rule or right that exists because it has been followed for a very long time.

    pertaining to or held by custom, especially in a legal context where long-term practice creates a binding obligation.

    Example

    The villagers argued they had a customary right to use the path through the woods.

    Example

    The court had to determine whether the local fishing practices constituted a customary right that predated modern maritime legislation.

    Teacher's tip

    In legal contexts, this is often contrasted with 'statutory' (written law).
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  1. 3 a book of customs (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic Technical Law

    an old book that lists the laws and traditions of a specific place.

    a written collection or record of the customs and laws of a manor, guild, or city.

    Example

    The historian studied the medieval customary to understand how the town was governed.

    Example

    The fourteenth-century customary provides invaluable insights into the agricultural obligations and social hierarchies of the feudal estate.

    Teacher's tip

    This noun sense is extremely rare and mostly found in historical or legal research.
Origin

From Middle English custumary, from Medieval Latin custumarius. By surface analysis, custom + -ary.

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