What does customarily mean?
'Customarily' is a formal adverb meaning 'in accordance with customary or established practice'. It describes actions carried out not by rule or necessity but by long-standing habit or convention: shops may be customarily closed on Sundays, ceremonies customarily begin with a speech, and documents customarily bear a signature. Because it signals settled usage rather than mere frequency, it is favoured in legal, diplomatic, and institutional contexts, where distinguishing 'what usually happens' from 'what must happen' can carry real weight. The word derives from 'custom', which traces back through Old French to Latin 'consuetudinem', referring to habitual use. Compared with plainer alternatives such as 'usually', 'typically', or 'routinely', it sounds more deliberate and slightly more elevated. Writers choose it when they want to convey that a practice has become second nature — expected by everyone involved and rarely questioned. It is a useful word for anyone drafting agreements, describing traditions, or explaining how things are ordinarily done.
adverbIn accordance with what is customary, habitual, or usual; as a matter of common practice.
- In accordance with established or usual practice; habitually or conventionally.
"The shop customarily closes early on Saturdays during the summer."
"Guests at the estate were customarily greeted with a cup of tea upon arrival."
"The committee customarily meets on the first Tuesday of each month."
Despite sounding like a mouthful of legalese, 'customarily' simply means 'as usual' — it's 'usually' wearing a suit and tie.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of customarily
'Customarily' is formed from the adjective 'customary', which itself derives from 'custom'. 'Custom' entered Middle English via Old French 'custume' from Latin 'consuetudinem' (nominative 'consuetudo'), meaning habit or usage, from 'consuescere' ('to become accustomed'). The Latin root also gives English words such as 'accustom' and 'consuetude'. The adverb form developed alongside the adjective, appearing in English by around the 16th–17th centuries.
Related word forms
How customarily is actually used
'Customarily' carries a slightly formal register compared to 'usually' or 'normally', and appears frequently in legal, contractual, and institutional writing where established practice matters. It implies that a practice is well settled rather than merely frequent.
Easily confused with customarily
'Customary' is an adjective describing something done according to usual practice, while 'customarily' is the adverb describing how an action is performed in that way.