custom

custom — noun

1. a pattern of behaviour shared by a group or a society over a long period, which

1.nounB1
Definition

a pattern of behaviour shared by a group or a society over a long period, which members treat as the normal way of doing things.

Example

Quan's family follows the custom of giving red envelopes during Lunar New Year.

collocation: follow the custom of [doing sth]

In Japan, the custom of removing shoes before entering a home is widely observed.

passive: custom is observed / is followed

Common collocations
  • local custom
  • old custom
  • social custom
  • follow a custom
  • observe a custom
  • by custom
Synonyms
  • tradition

    stronger sense of being handed down across generations; slightly more formal than 'custom'

  • practice

    more neutral and general; can refer to any repeated way of doing things

  • convention

    an accepted social rule rather than a meaningful tradition

Common Mistakes

It is a custom for me to drink coffee in the morning.
It is my habit to drink coffee in the morning.
a personal routine is a 'habit'; 'custom' is normally used for larger social or cultural practices.

2. something that a person does regularly as part of their daily life or routine.

2.nounB1
Definition

something that a person does regularly as part of their daily life or routine.

Example

Devika has a custom of drinking green tea first thing every morning.

collocation: have a custom of [doing sth]

It was David's custom to take a short walk along the river after dinner.

pattern: it is [someone's] custom to [verb]

Common collocations
  • usual custom
  • custom of doing
  • break a custom
  • it is my custom to
Synonyms
  • habit

    more common for personal routines; can be hard to break

  • routine

    focuses on the regular sequence of actions rather than the personal attachment

Usage Note

Can be used for individual routines, but 'habit' is far more common in everyday speech. 'Custom' in this sense sounds slightly formal or old-fashioned.

Common Mistakes

Brushing your teeth is a good custom.
Brushing your teeth is a good habit.
'custom' for personal routines sounds unnatural; use 'habit' instead.

3. the regular support that customers give to a shop, restaurant, or other business

3.nounB2
Definition

the regular support that customers give to a shop, restaurant, or other business by choosing to buy from it repeatedly.

Example

The local bakery has lost much of its custom since the supermarket opened nearby.

collocation: lose [someone's] custom / lose custom

The manager thanked the regulars for their continued custom over the past ten years.

collocation: continued custom

Common collocations
  • give custom to
  • withdraw custom
  • lose custom
  • continued custom
  • regular custom
Synonyms
  • patronage

    more formal; often used in notices or official messages

  • business

    more general and widely used in both British and American English

Usage Note

Common in British English but less frequent in American English, where 'patronage' or 'business' is used instead. Often appears in formal business contexts such as letters or notices.

Common Mistakes

I gave my custom to that shop for years.
I have shopped at that store for years.
'give custom' is very formal; in everyday English, use 'shop at' or 'buy from'.

4. (usually plural: customs) the section of a national border, airport, or seaport

4.nounB2
Definition

(usually plural: customs) the section of a national border, airport, or seaport where government officers examine travellers' belongings and control which items may enter the country.

Example

The officer asked Élise to open her suitcase for inspection at customs.

preposition: at customs

Beatrix had to wait for almost an hour at customs before her bags were cleared.

passive: bags are cleared / goods are checked

Common collocations
  • at customs
  • through customs
  • customs officer
  • customs check
  • clear customs
  • declare at customs
  • held up at customs
Synonyms
  • border control

    a broader term that includes passport checks as well as goods inspection

  • duties

    refers specifically to the taxes on imported goods, not the agency itself

Usage Note

When referring to the border agency or checkpoint, 'customs' always takes a plural verb or is treated as an uncountable location name. The singular 'custom' in this meaning is extremely rare and only appears in historical or legal texts.

Common Mistakes

I need to pass the custom at the airport.
I need to go through customs at the airport.
the word is always plural when referring to the border checkpoint.

custom — adjective

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe repeated behaviour, but they differ in scale and formality. A custom is a long-established practice shared by a group — it has social weight but not necessarily historical depth. A tradition goes further: it is deliberately passed down through generations and often carries emotional or cultural significance (e.g. a family tradition). A practice is the most neutral term; it simply refers to a method or way of doing things, from medical practices to business practices. A convention is an unspoken social rule — more about politeness and accepted behaviour than meaningful heritage. A habit, by contrast, is entirely personal: brushing your teeth or biting your nails is a habit, not a custom. For example, 'the custom of bowing when greeting' is a social practice; 'it is my habit to wake at six' is a personal routine.

tradition ↗practice ↗convention ↗habit ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • customs and traditions
  • customs and practices

Adverbs

Phrases

  • as was the custom
  • it is the custom for

Prepositions

  • by custom
  • according to custom

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'custom' comes from Old French 'custume' (modern French 'coutume'), which traces back to Latin 'consuetudo' meaning 'habit, usage, or familiar practice'. The Latin root 'consuescere' combines 'com-' (together) and 'suescere' (to become used to), so the original idea was 'making something familiar through repeated use together'. Over time, the sense of 'shared social practice' and 'personal routine' both developed. The administrative meaning (customs at the border) arose from the idea of 'customary dues' — taxes that traders had traditionally paid when bringing goods into a town or country.