tradition

noun

tra·​di·​tion trə-ˈdi-shən How to pronounce tradition (audio)
1
a
: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (such as a religious practice or a social custom)
b
: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable
… the bulk of traditions attributed to the Prophet …J. L. Esposito
2
: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction
3
: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions
4
: characteristic manner, method, or style
in the best liberal tradition
traditionless adjective

Examples of tradition in a Sentence

One of our town's time-honored traditions is to have an Easter egg hunt the week before Easter. It is their tradition to give thanks before they start eating. There's an office tradition of wearing casual clothes on Fridays. They no longer follow the traditions of their ancestors. We broke with tradition and had goose for Thanksgiving instead of turkey. By tradition, the celebration begins at midnight. They no longer follow tradition. According to tradition, the goddess lies sleeping beneath the mountain.
Recent Examples on the Web In what’s become an odd tradition that tour guides claim brings good luck, visitors frequently grope the statue. Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 The tremendous skills and logistics involved in outfitting a historical film should never be overlooked, but neither should the costume designers working to give those traditions a radical spin—nor those creating thoughtful costumes for contemporary stories. Liam Hess, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024 The film, acclaimed for its compelling narrative and stunning visuals, brought Maori stories to a global audience, emphasizing themes of identity, tradition, and resilience. David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2024 Dolly, 78, and Rachel, 64, grew up with nine other siblings near the Smoky Mountains in Sevierville, Tennessee, where their mom would make classic comfort foods like dumplings every Christmas (a tradition Dolly still continues with today). Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 In 1915, the Gilbert annual Citrus Festival was established, becoming a cherished tradition that celebrates the city's agricultural heritage to this day. Lux Butler, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Drag is a tradition, an art form that goes back centuries in many countries. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 6 Mar. 2024 Some of them are also facing not necessarily being encouraged to be their true selves because of a tradition that a culture that traditionally still struggles with the idea of being anything different than heterosexual. Danielle Directo-Meston, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 The event — one of the oldest traditions in White House history — will take place on the South Lawn on Monday, April 1, and the Bidens have officially opened ticket requests for the annual festivities. Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tradition.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English tradicioun, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French tradicion, from Latin tradition-, traditio action of handing over, tradition — more at treason

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tradition was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tradition

Cite this Entry

“Tradition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tradition. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tradition

noun
tra·​di·​tion trə-ˈdish-ən How to pronounce tradition (audio)
1
: the handing down of information, beliefs, or customs from one generation to another
2
: a belief or custom handed down by tradition
Etymology

Middle English tradicioun "tradition," from early French tradicion (same meaning) and Latin tradition-, traditio "the action of handing over, tradition," — related to treason see Word History at treason

Legal Definition

tradition

noun
tra·​di·​tion
in the civil law of Louisiana : transfer or acquisition of property especially by delivery with intent of both parties to transfer the title
delivery of the act of transfer or use of the right by the owner of the dominant estate constitutes traditionLouisiana Civil Code
Etymology

French, legal transfer

More from Merriam-Webster on tradition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!