tradition

[truh-dish-uh n] /trəˈdɪʃ ən/
noun
1.
the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice:
a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.
2.
something that is handed down:
the traditions of the Eskimos.
3.
a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting:
The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.
4.
a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.
5.
a customary or characteristic method or manner:
The winner took a victory lap in the usual track tradition.
6.
Theology.
  1. (among Jews) body of laws and doctrines, or any one of them, held to have been received from Moses and originally handed down orally from generation to generation.
  2. (among Christians) a body of teachings, or any one of them, held to have been delivered by Christ and His apostles but not originally committed to writing.
  3. (among Muslims) a hadith.
7.
Law. an act of handing over something to another, especially in a formal legal manner; delivery; transfer.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English tradicion < Old French < Latin trāditiōn- (stem of trāditiō) a handing over or down, transfer, equivalent to trādit(us), past participle of trādere to give over, impart, surrender, betray (trā-, variant of trāns- trans- + -ditus, combining form of datus given; see date1) + -iōn- -ion
Related forms
traditionless, adjective
antitradition, adjective
countertradition, noun
nontradition, noun
protradition, adjective
Synonyms
2. custom, practice, habit, convention, usage.
Examples from the web for tradition
  • For countless families worldwide, cookies define holiday tradition.
  • Because water is a precious resource, using it respectfully in the garden is a tradition.
  • Neither our tradition, nor any tradition, has ever banned all piracy.
  • So it's following in a tradition stretching back to the steppe.
  • Even if you think the tradition of the bowl games is worth preserving, going to an eight-team playoff would help such bowls.
  • Stretched budgets and anticipation of record enrollments spark effort to return to tradition.
  • The students have a longstanding tradition of playing a prank on the dean at the annual commencement exercise.
  • And some colleges have a tradition of buying software in bulk for students.
  • Others experience religious struggle because of conflicting ideas with their religious tradition or their family.
  • Throughout history people have prized cocoa-the defining ingredient of chocolate-a tradition that endures in our modern era.
British Dictionary definitions for tradition

tradition

/trəˈdɪʃən/
noun
1.
the handing down from generation to generation of the same customs, beliefs, etc, esp by word of mouth
2.
the body of customs, thought, practices, etc, belonging to a particular country, people, family, or institution over a relatively long period
3.
a specific custom or practice of long standing
4.
(Christianity) a doctrine or body of doctrines regarded as having been established by Christ or the apostles though not contained in Scripture
5.
(often capital) (Judaism) a body of laws regarded as having been handed down from Moses orally and only committed to writing in the 2nd century ad
6.
the beliefs and customs of Islam supplementing the Koran, esp as embodied in the Sunna
7.
(law, mainly Roman law, Scots law) the act of formally transferring ownership of movable property; delivery
Derived Forms
traditionless, adjective
traditionist, noun
Word Origin
C14: from Latin trāditiō a handing down, surrender, from trādere to give up, transmit, from trans- + dāre to give
Word Origin and History for tradition
n.

late 14c., from Old French tradicion (late 13c.), from Latin traditionem (nominative traditio) "delivery, surrender, a handing down," from traditus, past participle of tradere "deliver, hand over," from trans- "over" (see trans-) + dare "to give" (see date (n.1)). The word is a doublet of treason (q.v.). The notion in the modern sense of the word is of things "handed down" from generation to generation.

tradition in the Bible

any kind of teaching, written or spoken, handed down from generation to generation. In Mark 7:3, 9, 13, Col. 2:8, this word refers to the arbitrary interpretations of the Jews. In 2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6, it is used in a good sense. Peter (1 Pet. 1:18) uses this word with reference to the degenerate Judaism of the "strangers scattered" whom he addresses (comp. Acts 15:10; Matt. 15:2-6; Gal. 1:14).