Conventional Meaning
/kənˈvɛnʃənl̩/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjPertaining to a convention, as in following generally accepted principles, methods and behaviour.
adjOrdinary, commonplace.
Sentence Examples
Plastics have taken the place of many conventional materials.
The new product will not be distributed through conventional channels.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The designer rejected ____ methods and experimented with asymmetrical patterns.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Plastics have taken the place of many ____ materials.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree English convention Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālisbor. Old French -albor. ▲ Latin -ālis Old French -elbor. ▲ Latin -ālisbor. Middle English -al English -al English conventional From convention + -al.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"A “moving platform” scheme[…]is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. Local trains would use side-by-side rails to roll alongside intercity trains and allow passengers to switch trains by stepping through docking bays."
— 2013 June 1, “Ideas coming down the track”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, archived from the original on 11 Mar 2023, page 13 (Technology Quarterly):
"Young-White’s paeans to short kings encourage us to confront society’s overvaluation of men’s height, and recognize the guys under 6ft whose positive attitudes render them nothing short of regal. A short king isn’t just any male-presenting person of modest stature – it’s someone who has the strength of character to flourish in the face of conventional male beauty standards."
— 2019 June 21, Adrienne Matei, “In praise of short men: will the rise of ‘short kings’ spell the fall of toxic masculinity?”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 06 Aug 2020:
"“You’re not conventional?” Isabel gravely asked. “I like the way you utter that word! No, I’m not conventional: I’m convention itself. You don’t understand that?”"
— 1908, Henry James, chapter XXIX, in The Portrait of a Lady (The Novels and Tales of Henry James; IV), New York edition, volume II, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC; republished as The Portrait of a Lady (EBook #2834), United States: Project Gutenberg, 1 September 2001:
"Mother[…]considered that the exclusiveness of Peter's circle was due not to its distinction, but to the fact that it was an inner Babylon of prodigality and whoredom, from which every Kensingtonian held aloof, except on the conventional tip-and-run excursions in pursuit of shopping, tea and theatres."
— 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 2, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
"The history of our study of our solar system shows us clearly that accepted and conventional ideas are often wrong, and that fundamental insights can arise from the most unexpected sources."
— 1980, Carl Sagan, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The designer rejected ____ methods and experimented with asymmetrical patterns.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Plastics have taken the place of many ____ materials.