1
: of or relating to tradition : consisting of or derived from tradition
a traditional celebration
2
: handed down from age to age
traditional songs/stories
3
: following or conforming to tradition : adhering to past practices or established conventions
traditional values/beliefs
employing traditional methods of cooking
traditionally
adverb
a dish traditionally made with egg yolks, cream, and sugar
a seating area traditionally reserved for the church’s leaders
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Dubón is the more traditional second-base candidate in Altuve’s absence, especially if slugger Yordan Alvarez is healthy and ready to anchor Houston’s lineup on Opening Day.
—
Michael Shapiro, Chron, 24 Mar. 2023
While the mesh compartments of the more traditional 10-liter Black Hole Cube are great, the higher level of compartmentalization in the Black Hole MLC Cube is appreciated for those who want to pack away a worn shirt that might need to be used again.
—Molly Harris, Travel + Leisure, 24 Mar. 2023
Along with solar power generators, solar panels are a quiet alternative for keeping your appliances working without lugging around spare gas cans or stopping at the gas station to fuel up for your traditional generator.
—Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 24 Mar. 2023
Products subject to the new rule would include gym memberships, digital streaming and e-commerce, cable TV service, traditional print media and more.
—Brian Fung, CNN, 23 Mar. 2023
Huawei has announced the foldable alongside a series of more traditional smartphones including the P60, P60 Pro, and P60 Art.
—Jon Porter, The Verge, 23 Mar. 2023
The case drew intense attention, aided not only by traditional local and national media but also by podcasts and docuseries from streaming giants including Netflix.
—Timothy Bella, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2023
Amid the rapid rise of AI chatbots like ChatGPT, the guild has noted that regulating the emerging technology is on its list of agenda items in addition to more traditional matters like raising wage floors and changing feature writer deals.
—Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2023
Stylewise, the slim metal frame and profile feel traditional, while the lighting gives it a modern edge.
—Kristina Mcguirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Mar. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘traditional.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of traditional was
in 1545
Dictionary Entries Near traditional
Cite this Entry
“Traditional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traditional. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
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Last Updated:
26 Mar 2023
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
Britannica Dictionary definition of TRADITIONAL
[more traditional; most traditional]
1
a
:
based on a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time
:
following the tradition of a certain group or culture
-
It is traditional to eat turkey and cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving.
-
We often cook traditional Mexican meals for our guests.
-
She wore a traditional Japanese kimono.
-
a traditional Russian fairy tale
b
:
typical or normal for something or someone
:
having the qualities, beliefs, etc., that are usual or expected in a particular type of person or thing
-
She is a traditional liberal politician.
-
We got a traditional bank loan with a fixed interest rate.
2
:
based on old-fashioned ideas
:
not new, different, or modern
-
I prefer a more traditional style of furniture.
-
His views on marriage are quite traditional. He says that the wife should stay home with the children while the husband works.
-
traditional beliefs/values
-
Traditionally, guests are served first.
-
She thinks too traditionally for my taste.
The term traditional diet once meant a plain, none-too-varied regional diet that was the standard fare of farmers and laborers. ❋ M.D. Walter C. Willett (2005)
A common position on what we call traditional shamanism — ancient and indigenous tribes with exclusive cultural rituals and cosmology — is that it is a religion. ❋ Kelley Harrell (2011)
He said China and Sudan have what he described as a traditional friendship, and have maintained frequent mutual visits, especially in recent years. ❋ Unknown (2011)
In a written statement, the group drew a distinction between Wall Street and what it called traditional forms of capitalism. ❋ Neil King Jr. (2012)
We are the social workers, psychiatrists, workers at homeless shelters and rape crisis centers — and still some people and groups blame us for the breakup of what they call the «traditional American family.» ❋ Warren J. Blumenfeld (2012)
Chris Jones, long time theater critic at the Chicago Tribune, thinks Arena Stage is straddling the line between the radical moves, like actually paying people to hang around and write plays, and what he calls the traditional ideas of regional theater pioneers. ❋ Unknown (2010)
Every year, the National Council of Negro Women puts on the black family reunion celebration and the event focuses on what you call traditional values of the African-American family. ❋ Unknown (2010)
I [went] out [last night] [with the boys] and got really traditional. ❋ Soup And Toast (2007)
[Arabic] [tradition]; it’s offensive to ask an Arabic man about his wife or female family member, to protect him from «[loss] of face» ❋ AkaMedusa (2019)
Son: «Dad, why are you peeing on the cat»
Dad: «Because it is Tradition God Damnit. Every [July 23rd] we [pee on] a cat. My Father [peed] on a cat, his father peed on a cat and you’re also gonna pee on the cat.» ❋ The Traditionalist Manifesto (2010)
it was a tradition to [smoke] [the tree] on [christmas] ❋ R0ndo (2020)
When you are asked to do completely [illogical] [actions] and ask why, the person asking will most likely [answer] «It’s tradition». ❋ Kai Robert (2008)
1. [Marriage] is a great [tradition].
2.[TEVYE]
[Tradition], tradition! Tradition! ❋ Susej Ibar (2004)
A random person runs a around [naked] in [the park].
Bob: Go put some clothes.
The naked person: This is my [family tradition]
Bob: Oh, continue then. ❋ I Will Just Write Some (2022)
Jane is a traditional Chinese girl. She’s disinclined to [physical intimacy], she believes in love BEFORE sex, nor does [she go] to bars or [discos] to meet boys. ❋ Tom Laoshi (2005)
I can’t go to the Traditional this year, [last year] I almost lost [my kids], my wife, my job, and my [driver’s license]. ❋ T Nova (2014)
«Our [football] program has a rich history [founded] on [tradition]». ❋ Brady Hoke (2011)
Traditional can describe anything that follows tradition, or a usual way of doing things. Traditional Mexican food includes tortillas and beans. A bag of corn chips with chili and fake cheese sauce, on the other hand, is not traditional.
A tradition can be personal or national, and the adjective traditional has tons of uses. Traditional football might require a brown pigskin ball or a white soccer ball, depending on where you live. Your traditional national costume could be a sari, while your friend’s is a kimono. And that walking taco? It’s traditional carnival food for some.
Definitions of traditional
-
adjective
consisting of or derived from tradition
“traditional history”
“traditional morality”
-
Synonyms:
-
conventional
in accord with or being a tradition or practice accepted from the past
-
handed-down, tralatitious
having been passed along from generation to generation
-
traditionalistic
adhering to tradition especially in cultural or religious practices
-
conventional
-
adjective
pertaining to time-honored orthodox doctrines
“the simple security of
traditional assumptions has vanished”-
Synonyms:
-
mainstream, orthodox
adhering to what is commonly accepted
-
mainstream, orthodox
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘traditional’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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All sport… is one of the few activities where young people can proceed along traditional avenues, where objectives are clear, where the desire to win is not only permissible, but encouraged.
Spiro T. Agnew
PRONUNCIATION OF TRADITIONAL
GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF TRADITIONAL
Traditional is an adjective.
The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.
WHAT DOES TRADITIONAL MEAN IN ENGLISH?
Tradition
A tradition is a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or impractical but socially meaningful clothes, but the idea has also been applied to social norms such as greetings. Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years—the word «tradition» itself derives from the Latin tradere or traderer literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping. While it is commonly assumed that traditions have ancient history, many traditions have been invented on purpose, whether that be political or cultural, over short periods of time. Certain scholarly fields, such as anthropology and biology, have adapted the term «tradition,» defining it more precisely than its conventional use in order to facilitate scholarly discourse. The concept of tradition, as the notion of holding on to a previous time, is also found in political and philosophical discourse. For example, the political concept of traditionalism is based around it, as are strands of many world religions including traditional Catholicism.
Definition of traditional in the English dictionary
The definition of traditional in the dictionary is of, relating to, or being a tradition. Other definition of traditional is of or relating to the style of jazz originating in New Orleans, characterized by collective improvisation by a front line of trumpet, trombone, and clarinet accompanied by various rhythm instruments.
WORDS THAT RHYME WITH TRADITIONAL
Synonyms and antonyms of traditional in the English dictionary of synonyms
SYNONYMS OF «TRADITIONAL»
The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «traditional» and belong to the same grammatical category.
Translation of «traditional» into 25 languages
TRANSLATION OF TRADITIONAL
Find out the translation of traditional to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of traditional from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «traditional» in English.
Translator English — Chinese
传统的
1,325 millions of speakers
Translator English — Spanish
tradicional
570 millions of speakers
Translator English — Hindi
परंपरागत
380 millions of speakers
Translator English — Arabic
تَقْلِيديّ
280 millions of speakers
Translator English — Russian
традиционный
278 millions of speakers
Translator English — Portuguese
tradicional
270 millions of speakers
Translator English — Bengali
ঐতিহ্যগত
260 millions of speakers
Translator English — French
traditionnel
220 millions of speakers
Translator English — Malay
Tradisional
190 millions of speakers
Translator English — German
traditionell
180 millions of speakers
Translator English — Japanese
伝統的な
130 millions of speakers
Translator English — Korean
전통적인
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Javanese
Tradisional
85 millions of speakers
Translator English — Vietnamese
truyền thống
80 millions of speakers
Translator English — Tamil
பாரம்பரிய
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Marathi
पारंपारिक
75 millions of speakers
Translator English — Turkish
geleneksel
70 millions of speakers
Translator English — Italian
tradizionale
65 millions of speakers
Translator English — Polish
tradycyjny
50 millions of speakers
Translator English — Ukrainian
традиційний
40 millions of speakers
Translator English — Romanian
tradițional
30 millions of speakers
Translator English — Greek
παραδοσιακός
15 millions of speakers
Translator English — Afrikaans
tradisionele
14 millions of speakers
Translator English — Swedish
traditionell
10 millions of speakers
Translator English — Norwegian
tradisjonell
5 millions of speakers
Trends of use of traditional
TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «TRADITIONAL»
The term «traditional» is very widely used and occupies the 2.034 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
FREQUENCY
Very widely used
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «traditional» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of traditional
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «traditional».
FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «TRADITIONAL» OVER TIME
The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «traditional» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «traditional» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.
Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about traditional
10 QUOTES WITH «TRADITIONAL»
Famous quotes and sentences with the word traditional.
All sport… is one of the few activities where young people can proceed along traditional avenues, where objectives are clear, where the desire to win is not only permissible, but encouraged.
To be a winner of that, and to fall in the long line of traditional great backs at USC, to have your name in perpetuity, the fact that your parents are like icons… that’s the greatest thing.
I am very proud of what we have built in Spain, because it is not a traditional Formula 1 country. I think we have found passionate fans, and built up a strong culture for the sport — and things are improving every day, with more and more people getting interested.
I do not believe that defending traditional marriage between one man and one woman excludes anybody or usurps anybody’s civil rights and denies anybody their civil rights.
I’m a traditional singer-songwriter. I have a more organic sound.
New vaccines are being developed all the time, which could save many more lives and dramatically improve people’s health. And this goes beyond the traditional burden of childhood infectious diseases.
You can find more traditional Shakespeare than we do. But what we want to bring to these works is energy, passion, freshness.
While attendance at traditional churches has been declining for decades… the evangelical movement is growing, and it is changing the way America worships.
It turns out I’m not very good at working with a traditional boss.
On the other hand, I think that the family, the traditional family, has a fundamental social role, because it’s there that children are born and the investment in children is the greatest investment a country can make. The benefits of this investment go to everyone.
10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «TRADITIONAL»
Discover the use of traditional in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to traditional and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Beginner’s Guide to Traditional Archery
Author Brian J. Sorrells shares his time-tested training program for developing shooting skill and provides guidance on all aspects of traditional archery, from choosing arrow shafts to entering your first tournament.
2
Traditional Japanese Theater: An Anthology of Plays
Introduces the genres of noh, kyogen, kabuki, and bunraku puppet theater, and offers translations of thirty of the best-known plays, with background information on their history, characters, staging, and significance
Karen Brazell, James T. Araki, 1998
3
African Traditional Religion in South Africa: An Annotated …
This work participates in that recovery by providing a comprehensive guide to research on the indigenous religious heritage of this dynamic country.
DAVID CHIDESTER, CHIREVO KWENDA, ROBERT PETTY, 1997
4
Traditional Japanese Poetry: An Anthology
With more than 1,100 poems, it is the most varied and comprehensive selection of traditional Japanese poetry now available in English. A romanized Japanese text accompanies each poem, and the book is illustrated with 20 line drawings.
5
Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Concepts and Cases
Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Concepts and cases
6
Literacy in Traditional Societies
An examination of the importance of writing on the development of different societies.
7
Basic Theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Without a solid understanding of these fundamental theories, effective practice is impossible, and this book provides a complete introduction to everything that students and practitioners, both new and experienced, need to know.
Bing Zhu, Hongcai Wang, 2011
8
Challenging the Traditional Axioms: Translation Into a …
Translation into a non-mother tongue or inverse translation, especially of literary texts, has always been frowned upon within Translation Studies in Western cultures and regarded by literary scholars and linguists as an activity of dubious …
9
Traditional South African Cooking
A collection of well-known South African recipes that will enable the modern cook to continue the traditions of this fusion cuisine
Magdaleen Van Wyk, Pat Barton, 2007
10
Chinese Nutrition Therapy: Dietetics in Traditional Chinese …
Highlights: Descriptions of Chinese dietetics in practice and discussions of dietary factors, such as seasonal adaptations and differing requirements for children and seniors Practical tips on how to adapt Chinese nutrition therapy to …
10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «TRADITIONAL»
Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term traditional is used in the context of the following news items.
Ooni of Ife: Traditional Council Confers with Aregbesola
The governor’s meeting with the Ife traditional title holders at his office in … “If at all such an incident had occurred, the traditional council would be the first to … «Premium Times, Jul 15»
UK’s acclaimed Bramley apple wins EU ‘traditional speciality’ label
The European Commission on Wednesday (29 July) said it would register Britain’s «traditional Bramley apple pie filling» as a protected historical delicacy in the … «EurActiv, Jul 15»
United Russia to Unveil ‘Straight Flag’ in Honor of Traditional Family
Russia’s ruling political party has designed a “heterosexual flag” to honor traditional family values, the Izvestia newspaper reported Wednesday. Copies of the … «The Moscow Times, Jul 15»
George Takei takes down Donald Trump’s definition of ‘traditional …
Donald Trump likes to say he’s “for traditional marriage”—but George Takei thinks there are some holes in Trump’s argument. «Entertainment Weekly, Jul 15»
Dalai Lama meets with Uluru traditional owners; says more needs to …
On his first visit to Uluru, the 79-year-old met with traditional owners at a sacred waterhole, where he spoke of the need for respect for the traditional cultures of … «ABC Online, Jun 15»
New 3D digital X-ray detects 40% more breast cancers than …
Traditional mammography reproduces breast tissue in a single image which can mean tumours aren’t always detected early. To compare the two methods, … «Irish Examiner, May 15»
Private sector providers of GP services being outperformed by …
… patients were less likely to recommend alternative providers, and these practices performed worse than traditional GP surgeries on indicators of care quality … «The Independent, Apr 15»
Riders in Bavarian town brave snow for traditional Easter Monday …
Local residents dressed in traditional Bavarian clothes of the region ride through heavy snowfall at the traditional Georgi (St. George) horse riding procession on … «Fox News, Apr 15»
Traditional owners vs Carmichael Mine
Adrian Burragubba, one of the traditional owners, speaks to Lateline from … but today a group of traditional owners have announced that they won’t allow the … «ABC Online, Mar 15»
Dismissed Traditional Healers Now Key To Stopping Ebola
In this photo taken on Feb. 23, 2015, traditional healers, center, take part in a exorcism as villagers hand them a chicken, in Meliandou, Guinea. Here at ground … «Huffington Post, Mar 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Traditional [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/traditional>. Apr 2023 ».
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