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tradition

n.
US //tɹəˈdɪʃən// UK //tɹɐdˈɪʃən// tra·di·tion
  1. 1 cultural custom (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a custom or belief that people in a group or family have followed for a long time.

    a long-established custom or belief passed down through generations within a community or family.

    Example

    It is a family tradition to eat a big breakfast together every Sunday morning.

    Example

    The festival preserves a centuries-old tradition of folk dancing that remains central to the town's cultural identity.

    Usage

    Often used with the verbs 'follow', 'keep', or 'break'.

  2. 2 established style (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic

    a specific style or way of doing something that is well-known and respected.

    an established or distinctive style, method, or school of thought within a particular field or discipline.

    Example

    The building was designed in the grand tradition of European architecture.

    Example

    The author writes in the realist tradition, focusing on the mundane details of working-class life in the industrial north.

    Usage

    Frequently appears in the phrase 'in the tradition of'.

Origin

From Middle English tradicioun, from Old French tradicion, from Latin trāditiō, from the verb trādō. Doublet of treason.

Word family

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