Definition

1. Noun:

   • One who adheres to traditional views, beliefs, or practices: A person who strongly prefers long-established customs, methods, or ideas and is often resistant to change or innovation.
   • A supporter of traditionalism: Someone who upholds the principle of valuing tradition, especially in cultural, religious, or political contexts.

2. Adjective:

   • Characteristic of or relating to traditionalists: Describing attitudes, beliefs, or actions that are stubbornly conservative, favoring tradition over modernity or new ideas.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • He is a traditionalist who believes in following the old ways of farming.
  • The debate pitted reformers against traditionalists within the church.

• Adjective:

  • His traditionalist views on education made him oppose the new curriculum.
  • The party's traditionalist faction resisted any changes to its founding principles.

Advanced Usage

• "to be a traditionalist at heart": To have a fundamental, inherent preference for tradition.

  • Despite living in a modern city, she is a traditionalist at heart when it comes to family values.

• "traditionalist approach/interpretation": A method or understanding based strictly on established customs or doctrines.

  • The judge's traditionalist interpretation of the law left little room for modern precedents.

Variants and Related Words

• Traditionalism (n): The adherence to tradition, especially in cultural or religious practice.

  • His philosophy was rooted in a deep traditionalism.

• Traditionalistic (adj): Pertaining to or characteristic of traditionalism.

  • The community's traditionalistic values were evident in its annual festivals.

Synonyms

• Conservative: A person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values.
• Conformist: One who follows established customs or practices.
• Orthodox: Adhering to accepted or traditional standards, especially in religion.

Antonyms

• Innovator: A person who introduces new methods, ideas, or products.
• Reformer: A person who advocates for change, especially in a political or social system.
• Radical: A person who advocates thorough or complete political or social reform.

Related Phrases

• "stick-in-the-mud" (idiom, informal): A person who is dull and unadventurous and who resists change.

  • Don't be such a stick-in-the-mud; let's try the new restaurant.

• "old guard" (noun phrase): The original or long-standing members of a group, typically conservative in outlook.

  • The old guard in the company opposed the merger.

Adjective

1. stubbornly conservative and narrow-minded

Noun

1. one who adheres to traditional views