custom

1 of 2

noun

cus·​tom ˈkə-stəm 

1

a

: a usage or practice common to many or to a particular place or class or habitual with an individual

It is the custom in New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras.

funeral customs

b

: long-established practice considered as unwritten law

c

: repeated practice

Custom makes all things easy.

d

: the whole body of usages, practices, or conventions that regulate social life

… family, kinship, and custom constituted the grounds of community.

—V. B. Leitch

2

customs plural

a

: duties, tolls, or imposts imposed by the sovereign law of a country on imports or exports

b

usually singular in construction : the agency, establishment, or procedure for collecting such customs

went through customs at the airport without any difficulty

3

a

: business patronage (see patronage sense 4)

b

: usually habitual patrons : customers

custom

2 of 2

adjective

1

: made or performed according to personal order

2

: specializing in custom work or operation

a custom tailor

Synonyms

Noun

• fashion
• habit
• habitude
• pattern
• practice
• practise
• ritual
• second nature
• trick
• way
• wont

Adjective

• bespoke
• bespoken
• custom-made
• custom-tailored
• customized
• made-to-order
• tailor-made
• tailored

Choose the Right Synonym for custom

habit, practice, usage, custom, wont mean a way of acting fixed through repetition.

habit implies a doing unconsciously and often compulsively.

had a habit of tapping his fingers

practice suggests an act or method followed with regularity and usually through choice.

our practice is to honor all major credit cards

usage suggests a customary action so generally followed that it has become a social norm.

western-style dress is now common usage in international business

custom applies to a practice or usage so steadily associated with an individual or group as to have almost the force of unwritten law.

the custom of wearing black at funerals

wont usually applies to a habitual manner, method, or practice of an individual or group.

as was her wont, she slept until noon

Examples of custom in a Sentence

Noun

It is the custom for the bride to wear a white dress on her wedding day.

According to custom, the festivities begin at dusk.

It's a matter of custom.

We went through customs at the airport without any difficulty.

It took us a long time to clear customs at the border.

Adjective

The new kitchen will have custom cabinets.

that business tycoon wears only custom suits

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On top of all that, Jakob played his dad’s custom guitar and Mesa Boogie amp, while drummer Gaugh sat behind his signature green kit. —Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 14 Apr. 2024

Also found on her custom corset is a special detail, courtesy of Parekh — an anatomical heart, which pays homage to Coughlan’s character, Penelope Featherington’s love story in the upcoming season of the Netflix hit series. —Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 13 Apr. 2024

Rinse the day away with a rainfall shower head in a custom tile shower and enjoy (the) night with plush beds. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 13 Apr. 2024

Between December 2022 and March 2023, Yamakawa allegedly sold his custom monsters for up to 13,000 yen each, which is roughly the equivalent of $85. —Amrita Khalid, The Verge, 12 Apr. 2024

For example, during the second season Perona was able to upgrade her setup with a custom tent. —Rick Mauch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024

How Soccer Embraced Ramadan: In competitions like the Premier League, Muslim pros who once faced pressure to avoid daily fasts during the monthlong holiday now benefit from custom diets and in-game breaks. —Rory Smith, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2024

Food Media Pro referred to earlier in this article, while still in the content creation stage, contains over 400 recipe videos and thousands of custom images created to expand each of the Albrizio companies’ abilities to stand apart from the competition. —Jon Stojan, Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024

Eyewear is a niche pocket in fashion that not many have delved into on a custom or even fashion level. —Essence, 29 Mar. 2024

Adjective

In photos obtained by the Daily Mail at the time, Taylor-Joy could be seen standing on a balcony at the venue wearing her custom Dior gown. —Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 2 Apr. 2024

As Lee’s specs are custom, the exact style can’t be worn by others. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 13 Mar. 2024

And, because each batch of the product is custom, the application will always be completely unique—who doesn’t love bespoke design? —Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Dec. 2023

Each tile passes through 13 sets of hands while being made Though the brand is leaning into its contemporary vision, one integral part of its operation has remained evergreen: every tile made is completely custom. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 21 Mar. 2024

But many major games have adopted custom anti-cheat systems now that cheaters are getting more sophisticated. —Sean Hollister, The Verge, 2 Mar. 2024

This great room also houses a wood stove and a modern kitchen with a prep pantry, custom Italian cabinetry, and a leathered quartzite kitchen island. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024

Don't stop the music Don't forget a good speaker to play your custom Grammy soundtrack. —Bradley Geiser, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2024

No room was an afterthought— even the mudroom off the kitchen features custom Spanish tile. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 15 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

Middle English custume, from Anglo-French, from Latin consuetudin-, consuetudo, from consuescere to accustom, from com- + suescere to accustom; akin to suus one's own — more at suicide

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1757, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing custom

• custom-tailor
• custom-built
• custom-made

Kids Definition

custom

1 of 2 noun

cus·​tom ˈkəs-təm 

1

: the usual way of doing things : the usual practice of a person or group

2

plural : duties or taxes paid on imports or exports

3

: support given a business by its customers

custom

2 of 2 adjective

1

: made or done to order

custom clothes

2

: specializing in custom work

a custom tailor

Legal Definition

custom

noun

cus·​tom

1

: a practice common to many or to a particular place or institution

especially : a long-established practice that is generally recognized as having the force of law see also section 1983 compare usage

2

plural

a

: duties, tolls, or imposts imposed by the law of a country on imports or exports

b

usually singular in construction : the agency, establishment, or procedure for collecting such customs