overwordExplorer
ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

custom.

Frequent repetition of the same behavior; way of behavior common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; method of doing, living or behaving.

6 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ˈkʌstəm/
  1. Frequent repetition of the same behavior; way of behavior common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; method of doing, living or behaving.

    countable · uncountable
    Much forbidden by elder custom is accepted today.
  2. Habitual buying of goods from one same vendor.

    countable · uncountable
    Thank you for your custom.
  3. Habitual buying of goods from one same vendor. The habitual patrons (i.e. customers) of a business; business support.

    collective · countable · uncountable
  4. Long-established practice, considered as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent. Compare prescription.

    countable · uncountable
  5. Traditional beliefs or rituals.

    countable · uncountable
    The Ancient Egyptian culture had many distinctive and interesting beliefs and customs; one custom was the mummification of the dead.
  6. A custom (made-to-order) piece of art, etc.

    countable · uncountable
  7. Familiar acquaintance; familiarity.

    countable · obsolete · uncountable
  8. Toll, tax, or tribute.

    archaic · uncountable
Where this word comes from

PIE word *ḱóm PIE word *swé From Middle English custume, borrowed from Anglo-Norman custume, inherited from Latin consuētūdinem, a noun derived from cōnsuēscō, from con- (“with”) + suēscō (“become used or accustomed to”). Displaced native Old English ġewuna and sidu. Doublet of costume, consuetude, and kastom. The adjectival form first appears c. 1830.

adj/ˈkʌstəm/
  1. Made or done in a way adjusted to fit the needs of a particular person or group (e.g., customer, health care patient, do-it-yourselfer), and thus specialized and, in some cases, unique.

    not-comparable
    My feet are very large, so I need custom shoes, specially made by a custom tailor.
  2. Own, personal, not standard or premade.

    not-comparable
    We can embroider a wide range of ready designs or a custom logo.
  3. Done on a for-hire basis, as contrasted with being done only for oneself.

    especially · not-comparable
    custom threshing
    custom baling
  4. Accustomed; usual.

    archaic · not-comparable
Where this word comes from

PIE word *ḱóm PIE word *swé From Middle English custume, borrowed from Anglo-Norman custume, inherited from Latin consuētūdinem, a noun derived from cōnsuēscō, from con- (“with”) + suēscō (“become used or accustomed to”). Displaced native Old English ġewuna and sidu. Doublet of costume, consuetude, and kastom. The adjectival form first appears c. 1830.

verb/ˈkʌstəm/
  1. To make familiar; to accustom.

    obsolete · transitive
  2. To supply with customers.

    obsolete · transitive
  3. To pay the customs of.

    obsolete · transitive
  4. To have a custom.

    intransitive · obsolete
Where this word comes from

PIE word *ḱóm PIE word *swé From Middle English custume, borrowed from Anglo-Norman custume, inherited from Latin consuētūdinem, a noun derived from cōnsuēscō, from con- (“with”) + suēscō (“become used or accustomed to”). Displaced native Old English ġewuna and sidu. Doublet of costume, consuetude, and kastom. The adjectival form first appears c. 1830.

FROM WORD TO NAME

Try it on your idea.

custom has 6 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.

custom studiocustom workshello, custom

These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.

Explore the name generator

A word with a source.

Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.