Trad

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A style or approach characterized by adherence to established customs and conventions in art, music, or culture ; a person or entity that identifies strongly with conventional or traditional methods ; an abbreviation commonly used to denote traditional forms or practices in various contexts
2. Referring to methods or practices that emphasize preservation of heritage and time-honored techniques in fields like music or fashion ; describing individuals who favor classical or established norms over innovation ; a shorthand term frequently employed to indicate something conventional or rooted in tradition
3. Indicating a commitment to long-standing customs and classical styles especially in creative or cultural expressions ; signifying a preference for conventional approach or orthodox practices by individuals or groups ; used as a concise label for traditionalism in multiple domains including arts and lifestyles

Etymology: "Trad" is a clipped form of "traditional," and in its jazz sense it names the revival style of the 1940s and 1950s that looked back to the New Orleans jazz of the early twentieth century. The shortening is a piece of musicians' and fans' shorthand, the sort of abbreviation that spreads through a scene faster than it appears in print. Its everyday meaning is simply the adjective "traditional" compressed to one syllable, so the clipping does the same job the full word does, just with less ceremony. Because "trad" is a shortening rather than a separate word, its history is that of "traditional" itself, which came into English from Medieval Latin "traditionalis," built on Latin "traditio," meaning a handing over or transmission, from "tradere," to hand over. The jazz use is what gave the clipped form its own life, and it is the reason the word now appears in record shops and festival listings rather than only in ordinary speech.

Synonyms: tradition, custom