usage
noun
Simple meaning
The established custom of using language.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
yoosuhjSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈjusədʒ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The established custom of using language; the ways and contexts in which spoken and written words are used, especially by a certain group of people or in a certain region.
Prevailing language style: how words are used among a populace.
A custom or established practice.
The act of using something; use, employment.
Choice of language style (made by a speaker or writer).
uncountable
Custom, tradition.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B1 · Intermediate
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The established custom of using language; the ways and contexts in which spoken and written words are used, especially by a certain group of people or in a certain region.
Used this way, usage is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
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What Does It Mean Here?
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.