entry
tradition
/trəˈdɪʃən/A belief or practice handed down over time
From Latin trans (across) + Latin dare (to give).
from Old French tradicion "transmission, presentation, handing over" (late 13c.) and directly
+1 more sourcefrom PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Tradition is thus a doublet of treason (q.v.). The meaning "a long-established...
from Latin traditionem (nominative traditio ) "a delivering up, surrender, a handing down, a giving up" (also "a...
+1 more sourcefrom Old French tradicion "transmission, presentation, handing over" (late 13c.) and directly
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English tradicioun
from Latin traditionem (nominative traditio ) "a delivering up, surrender, a handing down, a giving up" (also "a...
+1 more sourceWord Ancestry
from Old French tradicion "transmission, presentation, handing over" (late 13c.) and directly
+1 more sourcefrom PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Tradition is thus a doublet of treason (q.v.). The meaning "a long-established...
from Latin traditionem (nominative traditio ) "a delivering up, surrender, a handing down, a giving up" (also "a...
+1 more sourcefrom Old French tradicion "transmission, presentation, handing over" (late 13c.) and directly
+1 more sourcefrom Middle English tradicioun
from Latin traditionem (nominative traditio ) "a delivering up, surrender, a handing down, a giving up" (also "a...
+1 more sourcePicture a Roman handing a sealed document to someone across a doorway: that simple motion—giving something over—sits at the heart of tradition. Latin trādere joined trāns-, “across,” with dare, “to give,” producing trāditiō, a “handing over” that could mean instruction, transmission, surrender, or even betrayal. By the late fourteenth century, English tradition had entered through Old French and Middle English, initially carrying religious beliefs and teachings; its modern sense of a long-established custom appeared in the 1590s. Wait, really? Tradition is a doublet of treason: both descend from the same Latin family, because handing something over might preserve a sacred teaching—or betray a person, a scripture, or a city. The word therefore leaves us with a memorable image: every tradition is a parcel passed from one generation to the next, though nobody guarantees that the parcel still contains exactly what its first giver put inside.
The Story
Picture a Roman handing a sealed document to someone across a doorway: that simple motion—giving something over—sits at the heart of tradition. Latin trādere joined trāns-, “across,” with dare, “to give,” producing trāditiō, a “handing over” that could mean instruction, transmission, surrender, or even betrayal. By the late fourteenth century, English tradition had entered through Old French and Middle English, initially carrying religious beliefs and teachings; its modern sense of a long-established custom appeared in the 1590s. Wait, really? Tradition is a doublet of treason: both descend from the same Latin family, because handing something over might preserve a sacred teaching—or betray a person, a scripture, or a city. The word therefore leaves us with a memorable image: every tradition is a parcel passed from one generation to the next, though nobody guarantees that the parcel still contains exactly what its first giver put inside.
Modern Usage
A joking excuse for doing something seemingly pointless, illegal, or bizarre because it is supposedly a family or group custom.
Notable References
- Urban Dictionary entries describing tradition as a reason or excuse for apparently unreasonable behavior
Kin & Kindred
From 'trans'·across, over, onward
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'dare'·to give
Derived Terms
English words from this root