Custom vs. Culture: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Published on April 14, 2024
A custom is a specific practice or tradition followed by a group, while culture is the collection of beliefs, customs, arts, and practices of a particular group.
Difference Between Custom and Culture
A custom pertains to a specific tradition, practice, or ritual that a group of people follows. These are often handed down through generations and can be unique to certain communities or societies. On the other hand, culture is a broader concept encompassing a range of elements that define a particular group or society, including their customs, beliefs, arts, and values.
Muazma Batool
Apr 14, 2024
Customs are tangible practices, often with specific purposes and set guidelines on how they should be performed. For instance, shaking hands as a greeting is a custom in many western societies. Culture, meanwhile, provides the overarching context within which these customs thrive, establishing a collective identity and shared understanding.
Muneeza Rehman
Apr 14, 2024
Customs are essentially the habits and behaviors that become embedded within a culture. They serve as manifestations of a society's values and beliefs. Culture, conversely, is the umbrella under which these habits and values exist, often guiding the creation and continuation of customs.
Muazma Batool
Apr 14, 2024
While a custom can be easily pinpointed, observed, and described, culture is more abstract. It's the intangible fabric that ties a group together, giving them a sense of belonging. Within this fabric, customs stand out as the stitches, giving texture and specificity to the culture.
William
Apr 14, 2024
Customs can evolve, die out, or be newly created, reflecting the changing nature of a society. Culture, while also dynamic, is more enduring, representing the foundational values, beliefs, and practices of a society, of which customs are just one part.
Muneeza Rehman
Apr 14, 2024
Custom vs. Culture Comparison Chart
Definition
A specific practice or tradition.
The collection of beliefs, customs, arts, and practices.
Muazma Batool
Apr 14, 2024
Scope
Narrow, focuses on a single act or tradition.
Broad, encompasses many elements of a group or society.
Muneeza Rehman
Apr 14, 2024
Tangibility
Often observable and specific.
More abstract, a collective understanding.
Muazma Batool
Apr 14, 2024
Relationship
Serves as a manifestation within a culture.
The overarching context in which customs exist.
Levi
Apr 14, 2024
Custom vs. Culture Definitions
◉Custom
A traditional practice or behavior of a particular group.
During weddings in her country, it's a custom to wear bright colors.
Elijah
Sep 14, 2023
◉Culture
The beliefs, customs, arts, and practices of a particular group.
The festival showcased the rich culture of the indigenous people.
Muazma Batool
Sep 14, 2023
◉Custom
A habitual practice or usual way of acting in given situations.
It's his custom to have coffee every morning.
Muazma Batool
Sep 14, 2023
◉Culture
The intellectual and artistic achievements or expressions of a society.
Modern pop music is part of today's culture.
Levi
Sep 14, 2023
◉Custom
A traditional practice or usual way of doing something followed by a social group or people.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The growth of bacteria, tissue cells, or other organisms in a medium.
The scientist examined the culture under a microscope.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 14, 2023
◉Custom
The tradition or body of such practices
The respect that is by custom accorded to the king.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The cultivating of plants or animals.
The culture of grapes in this region leads to fine wines.
Henry
Sep 14, 2023
◉Custom
A habitual practice of a person
my custom of reading a little before sleep.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The arts, beliefs, customs, institutions, and other products of human work and thought considered as a unit, especially with regard to a particular time or social group
Edwardian culture.
Japanese culture.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
These arts, beliefs, and other products considered with respect to a particular subject or mode of expression
musical culture.
oral culture.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
(Law) A common tradition or usage so long established that it has the force or validity of law.
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May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The set of predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize a group or organization
a manager who changed the corporate culture.
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May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Habitual patronage, as of a store
tried to obtain the custom of the wealthiest shoppers.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
Mental refinement and sophisticated taste resulting from the appreciation of the arts and sciences
a woman of great culture.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Duties or taxes imposed on imported and, less commonly, exported goods.
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May 03, 2023
◉Culture
Special training and development
voice culture for singers and actors.
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May 03, 2023
◉Custom
(used with a sing. verb) The governmental agency authorized to collect these duties.
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May 03, 2023
◉Custom
(used with a sing. verb) The place where goods and baggage entering a country are inspected by this agency
go through customs.
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May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The breeding or cultivation of animals or plants for food, the improvement of stock, or other purposes.
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May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The growing of microorganisms, tissue cells, or other living matter in a specially prepared nutrient medium.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Specializing in the making or selling of made-to-order goods
a custom tailor.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Frequent repetition of the same behavior; way of behavior common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; method of doing, living or behaving.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
To grow (microorganisms or other living matter) in a specially prepared nutrient medium.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
(collectively) The habitual patrons (i.e. customers) of a business; business support.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The arts, customs, lifestyles, background, and habits that characterize humankind, or a particular society or nation.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
(legal) Long-established practice, considered as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent. Compare prescription.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The beliefs, values, behaviour and material objects that constitute a people's way of life.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Traditional beliefs or rituals.
The Ancient Egyptian culture had many distinctive and interesting beliefs and customs; one custom was the mummification of the dead.
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May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The conventional conducts and ideologies of a community; the system comprising the accepted norms and values of a society.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(anthropology) Any knowledge passed from one generation to the next, not necessarily with respect to human beings.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(microbiology) The process of growing a bacterial or other biological entity in an artificial medium.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Created under particular specifications, specially to fit one's needs: specialized, unique, custom-made.
My feet are very large, so I need custom shoes.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The growth thus produced.
I'm headed to the lab to make sure my cell culture hasn't died.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Own, personal, not standard or premade.
We can embroider a wide range of ready designs or a custom logo.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(cartography) The details on a map that do not represent natural features of the area delineated, such as names and the symbols for towns, roads, meridians, and parallels.
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May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(archaeology) A recurring assemblage of artifacts from a specific time and place that may constitute the material culture remains of a particular past human society.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(euphemism) Ethnicity, race (and its associated arts, customs, etc.)
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(transitive) to maintain in an environment suitable for growth especially of bacteria cultivate}}
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(transitive) to increase the artistic or scientific interest in something cultivate}}
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Frequent repetition of the same act; way of acting common to many; ordinary manner; habitual practice; usage; method of doing or living.
And teach customs which are not lawful.
Moved beyond his custom, Gama said.
A customMore honored in the breach than the observance.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The act or practice of cultivating, or of preparing the earth for seed and raising crops by tillage; as, the culture of the soil.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Habitual buying of goods; practice of frequenting, as a shop, manufactory, etc., for making purchases or giving orders; business support.
Let him have your custom, but not your votes.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The act of, or any labor or means employed for, training, disciplining, or refining the moral and intellectual nature of man; as, the culture of the mind.
If vain our toilWe ought to blame the culture, not the soil.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Long-established practice, considered as unwritten law, and resting for authority on long consent; usage. See Usage, and Prescription.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The state of being cultivated; result of cultivation; physical improvement; enlightenment and discipline acquired by mental and moral training; civilization; refinement in manners and taste.
What the Greeks expressed by their paidei`a, the Romans by their humanitas, we less happily try to express by the more artificial word culture.
The list of all the items of the general life of a people represents that whole which we call its culture.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Familiar aquaintance; familiarity.
Age can not wither her, nor custom staleHer infinite variety.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The cultivation of bacteria or other organisms (such as fungi or eukaryotic cells from mulitcellular organisms) in artificial media or under artificial conditions.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
The customary toll, tax, or tribute.
Render, therefore, to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
Those details of a map, collectively, which do not represent natural features of the area delineated, as names and the symbols for towns, roads, houses, bridges, meridians, and parallels.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
Duties or tolls imposed by law on commodities, imported or exported.
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May 03, 2023
◉Culture
To cultivate; to educate.
They came . . . into places well inhabited and cultured.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
a particular society at a particular time and place;
early Mayan civilization
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(biology) the growing of microorganisms in a nutrient medium (such as gelatin or agar);
the culture of cells in a Petri dish
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
(bacteriology) the product of cultivating micro-organisms in a nutrient medium
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality;
they performed with great polish
I admired the exquisite refinement of his prose
almost an inspiration which gives to all work that finish which is almost art
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
the attitudes and behavior that are characteristic of a particular social group or organization;
the developing drug culture
the reason that the agency is doomed to inaction has something to do with the FBI culture
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Custom
habitual patronage;
I have given this tailor my custom for many years
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Culture
The set of shared attitudes, values, and goals within an organization.
The company promotes a culture of innovation.
Nolan
Sep 14, 2023
◉Custom
A long-established action considered as unwritten law.
It's a custom in their village to celebrate the harvest festival.
William
Sep 14, 2023
◉Custom
Regular patronage of a particular shop or business.
The bookstore appreciates your custom.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 14, 2023
◉Custom
Duties or taxes imposed on imported and exported goods.
She had to pay custom when bringing goods across the border.
Leo
Sep 14, 2023
Custom vs. Culture Frequently Asked Questions
Can customs change within a culture?
Yes, customs can evolve, but they always reflect the underlying culture.
Nolan
Apr 14, 2024
How does a custom relate to culture?
A custom is a specific manifestation or element within a broader culture.
Muazma Batool
Apr 14, 2024
How can one observe a culture?
Culture can be observed through language, rituals, arts, customs, and behaviors of a group.
Muneeza Rehman
Apr 14, 2024
Are all customs universally accepted?
No, what's a custom in one culture might be unfamiliar or even taboo in another.
Nolan
Apr 14, 2024
What does culture refer to?
The collective beliefs, customs, arts, and practices of a group or society.
Muneeza Rehman
Apr 14, 2024
How does culture influence individual behavior?
Individuals often act in ways that align with the values and beliefs of their culture.
Lucas
Apr 14, 2024
What's the difference between custom and tradition?
While both pertain to practices, a custom often refers to habitual behaviors, whereas tradition emphasizes the passing down of these practices through generations.
Olivia
Apr 14, 2024
Is culture only about art and music?
No, culture encompasses values, beliefs, customs, arts, practices, and more.
Kaitlyn
Apr 14, 2024
Is it possible for two different cultures to have similar customs?
Yes, different cultures might have customs that are similar or even identical.
Nolan
Apr 14, 2024
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