Meaning & use
traditional
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Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Done, believed or made in a way that has been handed down within a group for a long time.
Grammar: Goes before a noun or after a linking verb: a traditional recipe; the recipe is traditional.
Patterns
- traditional for someone to do something
- traditional in somewhere
We baked a traditional cake for the festival.
The village still holds its traditional dance every spring.
It is traditional to give red envelopes at the new year.
adjectivecomparable
Preferring established ways and not welcoming new ideas or change, especially about family, work or social roles.
Grammar: Describes people or attitudes: a traditional family.
His parents hold fairly traditional views about marriage.
The firm has a traditional approach to hiring.
She comes from a traditional household where Sunday lunch is compulsory.
adjectivebefore a noun
Of a kind that has long been the usual type, as opposed to a newer alternative.
Grammar: Usually before a noun, in contrast to modern or online methods.
Traditional classrooms are giving way to blended learning.
He prefers traditional medicine over new treatments.
Traditional banks are losing customers to apps.
Word forms
| comparative | more traditional |
|---|---|
| superlative | most traditional |
Common combinations
- traditional values
- The party appeals to voters with traditional values.
- traditional method
- The cheese is made by a traditional method.
- traditional dress
- The dancers wore traditional dress.
- traditional medicine
- Many people use traditional medicine alongside doctors.
- traditional role
- She challenged the traditional role of women in the company.
- traditional fare
- The restaurant serves traditional fare.
Synonyms and how they differ
- conventional
- Conventional means following accepted norms, often without emotion, while traditional suggests customs passed down with history and sentiment.
- customary
- Customary describes what is usually done in a given situation, and is more about habit than heritage.
- old-fashioned
- Old-fashioned often suggests something outdated and is sometimes critical, while traditional is neutral or approving.
- classic
- Classic implies something of lasting high quality, whereas traditional only means it follows long-standing practice.
Opposites
Word family
- tradition noun
- a custom handed down over generations
- traditionally adverb
- in the way that has long been usual
- traditionalist noun
- a person who prefers established ways
- traditionalism noun
- belief in keeping to custom
Commonly confused: traditional or conventional?
traditional vs conventional
Conventional can describe ordinary methods without any emotional or cultural history, while traditional often points to a cultural heritage.
Practice
In many families it is ___ to eat a special meal on the holiday, a custom handed down for generations.
Choose one answer.
Traditional describes a custom passed down over time. Innovative would mean new, and the other options do not suit a long-standing custom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “traditional”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.