custom
/ˈkʌstəm/ noun, adjective, verb
Forms customs customing customed
- noun Frequent repetition of the same behavior; way of behavior common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; method of doing, living or behaving. “Much forbidden by elder custom is accepted today.”
- noun (dated outside UK) Habitual buying of goods from one same vendor. “Thank you for your custom.”
- noun (collectively) The habitual patrons (i.e. customers) of a business; business support.
- noun (law) Long-established practice, considered as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent. Compare prescription.
- noun Traditional beliefs or rituals. “The Ancient Egyptian culture had many distinctive and interesting beliefs and customs; one custom was the mummification of the dead.”
- noun A custom (made-to-order) piece of art, etc.
- noun (obsolete) Familiar acquaintance; familiarity.
- noun (archaic, uncountable) Toll, tax, or tribute.
- adjective Made or done in a way adjusted to fit the needs of a particular person or group (e.g., customer, health care patient, do-it-yourselfer), and thus specialized and, in some cases, unique. “My feet are very large, so I need custom shoes, specially made by a custom tailor.”
- adjective Own, personal, not standard or premade. “We can embroider a wide range of ready designs or a custom logo.”
- adjective (especially agriculture) Done on a for-hire basis, as contrasted with being done only for oneself. “custom threshing”
- adjective (archaic) Accustomed; usual.
- verb (transitive, obsolete) To make familiar; to accustom.
- verb (transitive, obsolete) To supply with customers.
- verb (transitive, obsolete) To pay the customs of.
- verb (intransitive, obsolete) To have a custom.
Synonyms
usage fashion folkway habit practice wone wont bespoke custom-made tailored tailor-made custom-built purpose-built made-to-measure made-to-order usance tradition customs customs duty impost
Etymology
From Middle English custume, borrowed from Anglo-Norman custume, inherited from Latin consuētūdinem, a noun derived from cōnsuēscō, from con- (“with”) + suēscō (“become used or accustomed to”). Displaced native Old English ġewuna and sidu. Doublet of costume, consuetude, and kastom.
The adjectival form first appears c. 1830.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Frequent repetition of the same act; way of acting common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; usage; method of doing or living.
- noun Habitual buying of goods; practice of frequenting, as a shop, manufactory, etc., for making purchases or giving orders; business support.
- verb To make familiar; to accustom. [Obs.] Gray.
- verb To supply with customers. [Obs.] Bacon.
Etymology [OF. custume, costume, Anglo-Norman coustome, F. coutume, fr. (assumed) LL. consuetumen custom, habit, fr. L. consuetudo, -dinis, fr. consuescere to accustom, verb inchoative fr. consuere to be accustomed; con- + suere to be accustomed, prosuus one's own; akin to E. so, adv. Cf. Consuetude, Costume.]
Etymology [Cf. OF. costumer. Cf. Accustom.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “custom”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details