customary

[ kuhs-tuh-mer-ee ]

adjective

1. according to or depending on custom; usual; habitual.

   Synonyms: regular, common, conventional, accustomed, wonted

   Antonyms: uncommon

2. of or established by custom rather than law.
3. Law. defined by long-continued practices:

   the customary service due from land in a manor.

noun

, plural cus·tom·ar·ies.

1. a book or document containing the legal customs or customary laws of a locality.
2. any body of such customs or laws.

customary

/ ˈkʌstəmərɪ; -təmrɪ /

adjective

1. in accordance with custom or habitual practice; usual; habitual
2. law
   1. founded upon long continued practices and usage rather than law
   2. (of land, esp a feudal estate) held by custom

noun

1. 1. a statement in writing of customary laws and practices
   2. a body of such laws and customs

Derived Forms

• ˈcustomariness, noun
• ˈcustomarily, adverb

Other Words From

• cus·tom·ar·i·ly [kuhs, -t, uh, -mer-, uh, -lee, kuhs-t, uh, -, mair, -, uh, -lee], adverb
• non·custom·ari·ly adverb
• non·custom·ary adjective
• un·custom·ari·ly adverb
• un·custom·ary adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of customary¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; 1515–25 for current senses; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin custumārius, customārius, equivalent to costum(i)a, “custom” (also in Vulgar Latin; custom ) + -ārius -ary

Synonym Study

See usual.

Example Sentences

Set around the hospital’s emergency room, which keeps the narrative compact and busy and requires fewer sets, it comes with the customary variety pack of characters.

From Los Angeles Times

“Customary, yes, mandatory, no. As long as you are standing with no hat on, that is respect to the flag and the anthem.”

From Los Angeles Times

Both have tried to sound confident of victory in the last week or so, which is customary at this stage of the game.

From Salon

While it’s not surprising that Harris visited the most hotly contested battlegrounds of the campaign in its home stretch, she departed from her customary rally-style events.

From BBC

In his published introduction to the play in “Unbalancing Acts: Foundations for a Theater,” Foreman notes that, when he directed the Wooster Group actors in “Symphony of Rats,” he was aiming for a more “subdued, internalized performance style” than was customary for the troupe.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• accepted
• traditional