Main Entry:

us·age

Pronunciation:

\ˈyü-sij, -zij\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from us use

Date:

14th century

1 a: firmly established and generally accepted practice or procedure b: a uniform certain reasonable lawful practice existing in a particular locality or occupation and binding persons entering into transactions chiefly on the basis of presumed familiarity c: the way in which words and phrases are actually used (as in a particular form or sense) in a language community2 a: the action, amount, or mode of using <a decreased usage of electricity> b: manner of treating

synonyms see habit