Word
customary
Phoneticscus·tom·ary
US/ˈkəstəˌmɛɹi/
UK/kˈʌstəməɹi/
Definitions
01usual or traditional
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.
“It is customary to tip the waiter about fifteen percent in this country.”
“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'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02legal/habitual rights
C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical
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.
“The villagers argued they had a customary right to use the path through the woods.”
“The court had to determine whether the local fishing practices constituted a customary right that predated modern maritime legislation.”
Teaching tip
In legal contexts, this is often contrasted with 'statutory' (written law).
Synonyms
Antonyms
03a book of customs
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Law Archaic · Technical
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.
“The historian studied the medieval customary to understand how the town was governed.”
“The fourteenth-century customary provides invaluable insights into the agricultural obligations and social hierarchies of the feudal estate.”
Teaching tip
This noun sense is extremely rare and mostly found in historical or legal research.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“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.” “In some Latin American cultures, it’s customary to say ‘see you later’ instead of ‘good-bye’.” Etymology
From Middle English custumary, from Medieval Latin custumarius. By surface analysis, custom + -ary.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domain
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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