Origin: Latin suffix -tion
Tradition has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
an inherited pattern of thought or action
"The company's tradition of holding annual strategy meetings in the founder's office was eventually abandoned when younger leaders favored a more flexible approach to decision-making."
A part of culture that is passed from person to person or generation to generation, possibly differing in detail from family to family, such as the way to celebrate holidays.
"Our family has a unique tradition where we bake cookies shaped like stars instead of the usual round ones for Christmas Eve."
In plain English: A tradition is a custom that people have done for a long time and keep doing because it is special to them.
"The family gathers every December to celebrate their holiday tradition."
To transmit by way of tradition; to hand down.
"The village elders gathered to ensure that the ancient songs were passed down from generation to generation through careful teaching and practice."
In plain English: To follow a tradition is to do something because your family or group has always done it before.
"The family traditions do not change much from year to year."
Usage: Tradition functions as an intransitive verb meaning to pass knowledge or customs from one generation to another, often used with the preposition "in." It describes the act of maintaining a practice over time rather than creating something new.
The word tradition comes from the Latin trāditiō, which originally referred to something handed down or delivered. It entered English via Middle English and Old French, sharing a common root with the modern word treason.