traditionally

traditionally — adverb

1. in a way that follows customs, beliefs, or practices that a community has kept f

1.adverbB1
Definition

in a way that follows customs, beliefs, or practices that a community has kept for many generations

Example

Walid's family traditionally eats lamb on special holidays.

traditionally + present tense for habitual custom

In Japan, people traditionally bow when greeting someone for the first time.

traditionally + present tense, cultural practice

Common collocations
  • traditionally celebrated
  • traditionally worn
  • traditionally held
  • traditionally known as
Synonyms
  • customarily

    more formal; emphasises the force of habit or social convention

  • conventionally

    focuses on widely accepted social norms rather than long history

  • historically

    emphasises past practice regardless of whether it continues today

Antonyms
  • newly

    recently introduced, without long-standing custom

Grammar Patterns

traditionally + [past tense verb]

Traditionally, [clause]

Usage Note

Often used at the start of a sentence to introduce a long-standing cultural practice or belief. Can also appear between the subject and the verb.

Common Mistakes

Traditionally, people in Taiwan eat dumpling on the New Year's Eve.
Traditionally, people in Taiwan eat dumplings on New Year's Eve.
'dumpling' needs to be plural (countable noun), and 'New Year's Eve' doesn't take an article.

2. by sticking to well-known working methods and ways of thinking instead of using

2.adverbB2
Definition

by sticking to well-known working methods and ways of thinking instead of using newer or more experimental approaches

Example

Andrei's bakery traditionally uses only butter, not margarine.

traditionally + present tense for ongoing practice

The school has traditionally required students to wear uniforms.

traditionally + present perfect for lasting convention

Common collocations
  • traditionally done
  • traditionally accepted
  • traditionally served
  • traditionally stored
Synonyms
  • conventionally

    focuses on general social agreement rather than inherited custom

  • orthodoxly

    more formal; suggests strict adherence to established rules or doctrine

Antonyms
  • radically

    in a way that represents a complete departure from previous methods

  • innovatively

    using new or original methods

Grammar Patterns

traditionally + [past participle]

traditionally + [past tense verb]

Usage Note

This sense contrasts an established practice with newer, modern alternatives. Frequently appears with the present perfect (has traditionally...) or passive voice (was traditionally...).

Common Mistakes

Traditionally, the company donates to charity ever year.
Traditionally, the company donates to charity every year.
'ever' is a spelling error for 'every'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All three words describe actions rooted in past practice, but they differ in emphasis. 'Customarily' stresses the force of social habit — what people usually do because it is expected by their community. 'Conventionally' points to widely accepted norms and standards, often implying a contrast with unconventional or artistic choices. 'Historically' focuses on what was true in the past, regardless of whether the practice continues today. For example, a family customarily gathers for Sunday lunch; a business suit is conventionally worn in an office; and a country was historically an agricultural nation before it industrialised.

customarilyconventionallyhistorically ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • more traditionally
  • less traditionally

Phrases

  • traditionally known as
  • traditionally used for
  • traditionally associated with
  • traditionally made
  • traditionally regarded as

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from 'tradition' (from Latin 'traditio', meaning 'handing over, delivery, surrender'), combined with the adjective suffix '-al' and then the adverb suffix '-ly'. The meaning shifted from physically passing something down to passing down customs and beliefs through generations.