customary
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.describes something that people usually do in a particular society or situation.
adj.conforming to or established by long-standing custom or social convention.
Simple“It is customary to tip the waiter about fifteen percent in this country.”
In context“In many Mediterranean cultures, it remains customary to close shops during the hottest hours of the afternoon for a communal rest period.”
UsageOften used in the pattern 'it is customary to [verb]' or 'it is customary for [someone] to'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
adj.describes a rule or right that exists because it has been followed for a very long time.
adj.pertaining to or held by custom, especially in a legal context where long-term practice creates a binding obligation.
Simple“The villagers argued they had a customary right to use the path through the woods.”
In context“The court had to determine whether the local fishing practices constituted a customary right that predated modern maritime legislation.”
Teacher's tipIn legal contexts, this is often contrasted with 'statutory' (written law).
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
n.an old book that lists the laws and traditions of a specific place.
n.a written collection or record of the customs and laws of a manor, guild, or city.
Simple“The historian studied the medieval customary to understand how the town was governed.”
In context“The fourteenth-century customary provides invaluable insights into the agricultural obligations and social hierarchies of the feudal estate.”
Teacher's tipThis noun sense is extremely rare and mostly found in historical or legal research.
Synonymscustumalrecord
“The clan elders said they had the customary authority to choose a suitable prince to become "the Omukama" - the local title for the king of Tooro.”
From Middle English custumary, from Medieval Latin custumarius. By surface analysis, custom + -ary.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.