tradition

tradition — noun

1. A way of acting, celebrating, or thinking that members of a group have followed

1.nounB1
Definition

A way of acting, celebrating, or thinking that members of a group have followed for generations and consider important enough to keep alive.

Example

In Japan, the tradition of bowing when greeting someone shows respect for others.

tradition of + gerund

The town's annual summer festival is a tradition that dates back over two hundred years.

Common collocations
  • rich tradition
  • long tradition
  • family tradition
  • oral tradition
  • cultural tradition
  • break with tradition
  • uphold a tradition
  • carry on a tradition
  • by tradition
Synonyms
  • custom

    More local or informal than tradition; often refers to daily or seasonal habits.

  • heritage

    Broader — covers the full set of traditions, culture, and history a group values; carries a stronger sense of pride.

  • practice

    More neutral and can describe any repeated way of doing things, from religious rituals to professional routines.

  • convention

    A social rule or accepted way of behaving that may change more easily than tradition; often driven by practicality.

Antonyms
  • innovation

    Emphasises introducing something new rather than continuing an established way.

Grammar Patterns

tradition of + noun / -ing

by tradition

in the tradition of

Usage Note

Countable when referring to a specific custom (a tradition); uncountable when referring to the concept in general (by tradition, follow tradition). The pattern 'tradition of + gerund' is very common and should not be replaced with 'tradition to + infinitive'.

Common Mistakes

I have a tradition to visit my grandparents every Sunday.
I have a tradition of visiting my grandparents every Sunday.
Use 'tradition of + gerund', not 'tradition to + infinitive'.
Following the tradition, we light candles on Diwali.
Following tradition, we light candles on Diwali.
When speaking about the general concept rather than a specific tradition, no article is needed.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Custom, tradition, practice, and convention all describe established ways of behaving, but with different emphases. A custom is often more local and informal — for example, the custom of removing shoes before entering a home. A tradition carries a greater sense of historical weight and cultural value, as seen in the tradition of lighting candles on Diwali. Heritage refers specifically to the entire body of traditions, culture, and history that a group passes down, with a stronger sense of pride and identity. Convention describes a widely accepted social rule that can be practical rather than meaningful — professional convention dictates wearing a suit to an interview. Practice is the most neutral term, covering everything from religious practices to business practices. When choosing which word to use, consider whether the emphasis is on local habit (custom), cultural value (tradition), collective inheritance (heritage), social rule (convention), or habitual method (practice).

custom ↗heritage ↗practice ↗convention ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • deeply rooted
  • long-established
  • time-honoured

Phrases

  • break with tradition
  • carry on a tradition
  • uphold a tradition
  • pass on a tradition
  • it is a tradition to

Prepositions

  • in the tradition of
  • by tradition
  • according to tradition

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'tradition' comes from Latin 'traditio', meaning 'handing over, surrender, delivery'. This comes from 'tradere' (to hand over, pass along), which is formed from 'trans-' (across) and 'dare' (to give). In English, the sense of 'a belief or custom passed down through generations' developed by the late 1500s, shifting from the original legal meaning of 'handing over property' to the cultural meaning familiar today.