Basic Details
Word: Customary
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Usual, or done because it is the custom or habit in a place or family.
Synonyms: usual, traditional, habitual, normal
Antonyms: unusual, rare, uncommon
How to Spell Customary
Syllables: cus - tom - ar - y
Tricky part: It is custom plus ary, so the middle o and the a of ary both stay. Students write customery or costomary.
Watch out for: customery, costomary, custommary
Memory tip: Customs kept at festivals are customary ones. The ending ary is the same as in dictionary and library.
Usage Examples
Example 1: In our family it is customary to eat dinner together.
Example 2: She gave her customary smile as she entered the classroom.
Example 3: It is customary to remove your shoes before entering the temple.
Fun Fact
The United States still uses customary units such as feet, pounds and gallons, while most countries use metric units.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Only one of these words takes the suffix ary to form a real word. Choose it.
ary
a) prime
b) custom
c) volunteer
d) imagine
Show answer
b) custom. Custom takes ary as it is; imaginary, primary and voluntary all change the root before the ending.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to customary as used in the sentence:
In many Indian homes it is customary for children to touch the feet of elders on festival mornings.
a) modern
b) unusual
c) forbidden
d) traditional
Show answer
d) traditional. Customary means done by custom, which is traditional.
Mingle-Mangle
The jumbled word in the sentence hides a real word. Choose it:
Exchanging sweets at Diwali is a ytrsucmoa practice in our colony.
a) commentary
b) costumery
c) customer
d) customary
Show answer
d) customary. Customer would need an e in place of the a and y, so the answer is customary.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these is customary at a birthday party in many homes?
a) cutting a cake
b) writing an exam
c) painting the walls
d) planting a tree
Show answer
a) cutting a cake
2. A customary greeting is one that is ____.
a) usual and expected
b) rude and unkind
c) new and unusual
d) secret and hidden
Show answer
a) usual and expected
