tradition - Master This Word

tradition Word Meanings

• a long-established custom or belief
• a passing down of elements of a culture
• a specific way of doing something passed through generations

tradition Example Sentences

Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.

• Every family has its own tradition.
• Tradition helps us remember our past.
• We celebrate this holiday as a tradition.
• It is important to keep our tradition alive.
• He learned the old tradition from his grandparents.

tradition Word Etymology

traditio = handing over, from the Latin verb tradere = to hand over, give up. The word evokes images of elders passing down knowledge around a fire, where stories and customs are shared and kept alive through the generations.

English Brain Route

I shift the kettle on the stove and watch the steam rise, a quiet start to a Sunday ritual. I adjust the saucer to fit the familiar cup, then hold my breath a moment as the tea pours and settles. The room tightens to the rhythm of careful gestures, and I keep this small act moving from one generation to the next. It isn't about where it began, but about letting the moment carry what we've always done.

Real Context

Tradition refers to long-established customs and beliefs that are passed down from one generation to the next. It can be a social norm, a rite, a festive practice, or a way of speaking or cooking that a community preserves. Traditions provide identity, continuity, and stability, yet they can also adapt over time as communities reinterpret them. When learning English, the word often signals both a cultural practice and the act of handing down knowledge: a family tradition of storytelling around a fire, a national tradition of celebrating a holiday, or a local tradition of a weekly market. The plural, traditions, points to the variety of practices across cultures.

Usage Reminders

• Tradition is often countable: a tradition or many traditions.
• Use with keep, maintain, preserve, or uphold.
• Tradition describes practices passed down over generations.
• Avoid assuming tradition is static; many traditions change.
• Pair with family, local, or national to show scope.

Common Misconceptions

• Tradition is always old-fashioned or static.
• Tradition equals religion.
• All traditions are good and worth keeping.
• Tradition and custom are the exact same thing.
• Tradition only exists in non-Western cultures.

Thinking Differences

For English speakers, tradition often emphasizes transmission across generations and identity, but learners should note that not all traditions are old or rigid; many evolve with society. Mistakes include assuming every tradition is religious, thinking it only refers to the distant past, or using tradition where custom or habit would be more accurate.

Learning Tips

• Learn common collocations: keep, maintain, preserve, uphold a tradition.
• Distinguish tradition from custom and habit in meaning and usage.
• Use family, local, or national to show the scope of a tradition.
• Think of tradition as something that can evolve, not just something old.
• Practice plural form traditions to discuss many different practices.
• Notice phrases like break with tradition to express change.

5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English

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