customary
C1formal, semi-formal, academic, legal
Definition
Meaning
Based on or established by custom; usual or habitual in a particular context.
Expected, traditional, or conventional due to established practice rather than law.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a practice is followed by tradition and is socially expected, but not legally required. Often carries a sense of "typical for the situation."
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major differences in core meaning or usage. Slightly more frequent in British formal/legal contexts, but this is marginal.
Connotations
Both carry the same neutral-to-formal connotation of established tradition.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
It is customary [for NP] to [VP] (It is customary for the CEO to speak first)NP is/was customary (A handshake is customary)customary NP (customary practice)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “As is customary”
- “In the customary manner”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"It is customary to sign the contract in blue ink." Used for established business practices and protocols.
Academic
"The study examined the customary rites of the indigenous tribe." Used in anthropology, sociology, law.
Everyday
"It's customary to bring a bottle of wine when invited for dinner." Used for social norms.
Technical
"Customary international law is binding on states." A core term in legal contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- The committee customarily meets on the first Tuesday.
- He was customarily late for our appointments.
American English
- The board customarily reviews the budget in Q4.
- She customarily works from home on Fridays.
adjective
British English
- It is customary for the host to make the first toast.
- He received the customary three per cent pay rise.
American English
- It is customary to tip 15-20% in restaurants here.
- She made the customary opening remarks at the conference.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- It is customary to say "please" and "thank you."
- In many countries, it is customary to shake hands when you meet someone.
- The customary fee for this service is fifty pounds.
- It has become customary for employees to work remotely one day a week.
- Challenging customary practices can lead to significant social change.
- The tribunal ruled that the company had violated the customary rights of the local community.
- His analysis deftly distinguished between statutory obligations and merely customary ones.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: CUSTOM + ary. Something that has become the norm because of CUSTOM (tradition/habit).
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIETY IS A MACHINE WITH SET PROCEDURES (Customary practices are the established operating procedures).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation to 'кастомный' (which means 'custom-made'). The correct equivalents are 'обычный', 'традиционный', 'принятый', 'установившийся'.
- Do not confuse with 'customer' ('клиент').
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a synonym for 'frequent' without the implication of tradition (e.g., 'He makes customary mistakes' is incorrect).
- Confusing it with 'habitual' for personal habits (e.g., 'his customary morning coffee' is okay, but 'customary' better suits social, not purely personal, routines).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'customary' INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Habitual' refers to a personal, often unconscious routine (e.g., a habitual smoker). 'Customary' refers to a social or traditional practice expected within a group (e.g., a customary greeting).
Yes, the adverb form is 'customarily' (e.g., The board customarily meets in January).
It is neutral-to-formal. It is perfectly appropriate in everyday speech when discussing traditions or norms, but is also standard in legal and academic writing.
No. 'Customary' specifically describes practices based on tradition or usage, not formal law. In fact, 'customary law' is law derived from custom, not statutes.