What does "tradition" mean?
A part of culture that is passed from person to person or generation to generation, possibly differing in detail from family to family, such as the way to celebrate holidays.
Tradition
/tɹəˈdɪʃn̩/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A part of culture that is passed from person to person or generation to generation, possibly differing in detail from family to family, such as the way to celebrate holidays.
- Grammar: tradition is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: custom, hadith, a school, age old.
- Useful contrasts: revolutionary ideology, written statutes, change.
- Usage evidence: We must have respect for tradition.
How to use "tradition"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "tradition" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "tradition" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "tradition" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "tradition" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "tradition" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "custom" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "tradition", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A part of culture that is passed from person to person or generation to generation, possibly differing in detail from family to family, such as the way to celebrate holidays. countable, uncountable
"After breakfast, Charles Macdoodle told Lady Mary that it was a tradition in the family that those rumbling carriages on the terrace betokened death."
- 2 a specific practice of long standing wordnet
- 3 A commonly held system. countable, uncountable
"They followed the tradition of lighting candles for special occasions."
- 4 an inherited pattern of thought or action wordnet
- 5 An established or distinctive style or method countable, uncountable
"Following tradition, the victorious athlete runs a lap around the track."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 The act of delivering into the hands of another; delivery. countable, uncountable
"A deed takes effect only from this tradition or delivery; for, if the date be false or impossible, the delivery ascertains the time of it."
- 7 The entirety of a text's transmission; all the versions of a work. countable, uncountable
"It is, for example, apparent, in light of further research and when considering more manuscripts, that the manuscript tradition of the Life of Kiros (a very widespread hagiographical text) is much more complex than he had thought (Marrassini 2004; see Krzyżanowska 2015)."
Verb
- 1 To transmit by way of tradition; to hand down. obsolete
"The following story is […] traditioned with very much credit amongst our English Catholics."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"We must have respect for tradition."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "tradition"?
Common synonyms include: custom, hadith, a school, age old, ancient wisdom, anniversary present.
How do you use "tradition" in a sentence?
We must have respect for tradition.
How do you pronounce "tradition"?
Pronounced /tɹəˈdɪʃn̩/.
Etymology
From Middle English tradicioun, from Old French tradicion, from Latin trāditiō, from the verb trādō. Doublet of treason.