traditional

adjective

tra·​di·​tion·​al trə-ˈdish-nəl How to pronounce traditional (audio)
-ˈdi-shə-nᵊl
1
: of or relating to tradition : consisting of or derived from tradition
a traditional celebration
2
: handed down from age to age
traditional history
traditional songs/stories
3
: following or conforming to tradition : adhering to past practices or established conventions
traditional morality
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

Examples of traditional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Now, to their relief, a renaissance of Borneo’s traditional food culture is underway. Rebecca Tan, Washington Post, 22 Mar. 2024 Teen suffered bullying Nex Benedict, who used he/him and they/them pronouns, had identified as gender expansive — an umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn't conform with traditional norms and stereotypes, according to the National Institutes of Health. USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2024 As a result, skyrocketing prices in traditional enclaves of the rich and superrich, such as Palm Beach, have sent many home-shopping millionaires to nearby locales like West Palm Beach, which has seen a substantial spike in millionaire residents to the tune of 83 percent in the past 10 years. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 22 Mar. 2024 Inside is yet more chocolate, a traditional Easter egg feature. Helen Chandler-Wilde, Fortune Europe, 22 Mar. 2024 Unlike a traditional fraud case, Hanen added, the DOJ merely claimed investors were deprived of relevant market information — not that the influencers directly stole money from investors. Brian Fung, CNN, 22 Mar. 2024 Yellow mustard is traditional in egg salad because its tanginess elevates the eggs’ richness. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2024 Lin filled the crack with silver leaf, playing on the traditional Japanese art of kintsugi, which repairs broken pottery with seams of silver, gold or platinum. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Instead of the creamy queso Paraguaya that’s traditional in the recipe, for instance, many chefs and cooks substitute similar cheeses like mozzarella, Muenster and Monterey Jack. Christina Morales, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024

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 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

traditional

adjective
tra·​di·​tion·​al
trə-ˈdish-nəl,
-ən-ᵊl
1
: handed down from age to age without writing
2
: based on custom
our traditional Thanksgiving dinner
traditionally
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on traditional

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!