Meaning – Difference Between Custom and Convention

meaningmeaning-in-contextword-meaning

What is the difference between Custom and Convention. For example:

  • It is a custom in India to give money as a blessing on marriages.
  • It is conventional in many societies that strangers being introduced handshakes.

The Wikipedia definition for a convention is A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated, or generally accepted standards, norms, social norms, or criteria, often taking the form of a custom. So can we use these words interchangeably? If so, can you provide some examples?

Best Answer

A custom is about habit, something that happens a lot. A convention is about agreement, that it is accepted, formally or informally. Obviously many things are both customary and conventional.

You might say:

  • He was conventional in many things, but it was his custom to have breakfast at noon.
  • The custom was to tip a waiter, and he strictly followed the convention out of fear of being considered miserly.

OED:

convention n II. Agreement, conventional usage.
custom A n 1 a. A mode of behaviour or procedure which is widely practised and accepted (and typically long established) in a particular society, community, etc.; a convention; a tradition.

Note that both words have other meanings as well.

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