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"custom (tradition)" in seven languages

Meaningcustom (tradition)

Spanish

costumbre

/kosˈtumbɾe/

fem.inherited

French

coutume

/kutym/

fem.inherited

Italian

costume

/kosˈtume/

masc.inherited

Also 'costume' and 'swimsuit' (costume da bagno); usanza is a common synonym.

Portuguese

costume

/kosˈtumi/

masc.inherited

Romanian

obicei

/obiˈtʃej/

neut.other source · Slavic (Old Church Slavonic obyčaj)

Catalan

costum

/kusˈtum/

masc.inherited

Traditionally feminine (les costums), a use still heard.

English

custom

/ˈkʌstəm/

from Latin/French · Old French custume

English → Italiancustom (tradition)costumeCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

CONSUĒTŪDINEM‘habit, custom’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Spoken Latin wore CONSUĒTŪDINEM down to a short form in every sister. English has it twice: custom from French, and costume from Italian, where a 'custom' of dress became the outfit.

English relatives: customs, customer, costume (via Italian)

Sound laws at work

French fronts long U to [y]

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In a sentence

  • esCada país tiene sus costumbres.
  • frChaque pays a ses coutumes.
  • itOgni paese ha i suoi usi e costumi.
  • ptCada país tem seus costumes.
  • roFiecare țară are obiceiurile ei.
  • caCada país té els seus costums.
  • enEvery country has its own customs.

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