Culture and Custom: English Vocabulary List

a person who challenges or rejects established beliefs, customs, or values, often with the intent to provoke change or expose flaws

"The artist was an iconoclast who broke all the rules."

"The professor was an iconoclast who challenged long held theories and encouraged his students to question everything they had learned in their previous classes."

the rejection or destruction of religious images as heretical

"Iconoclasm destroyed images."

"Religious iconoclasm occurred in Byzantine times."

the customs and values of a society that characterize it

"The mores of the society strongly discouraged public displays of anger."

"Social mores about appropriate dress have changed significantly over the past fifty years in many countries."

the in-depth study of people and cultures through direct observation and interaction

"Ethnography is the detailed study of how people live in different cultures."

"Ethnography is a qualitative research method where a researcher immerses themselves in a community for an extended period to observe its social interactions and cultural practices firsthand."

a social and cultural movement that emerges in opposition to prevailing mainstream norms, values, and practices

"The counterculture rejected traditional values."

"A counterculture is a subculture whose values and behavioral norms deviate substantially from the dominant society"

a natural object, often an animal or plant, that is considered sacred and serves as a symbol or emblem for a particular group, clan, or family

"The totem pole represents a family's history."

"The totem pole outside the community center tells the history of the indigenous family who carved it."

conformity with accepted ideas, practices, or standards of thought and behavior

"Conventionality means following the usual rules and not doing anything strange."

"Conventionality is the state of conforming to accepted social norms and established traditions"

a formal statement of beliefs or principles, often religious or philosophical in nature

"Honesty is his personal credo."

"A credo is a formal statement of the core beliefs and guiding principles that shape an individual's or organization's worldview"

a guiding principle, intended to provide moral guidance or a basis for behavior

"The precept guided his behavior."

"A precept is a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought"

the elaborate display or ceremonial spectacle associated with public events, celebrations, or formal occasions

"The opening ceremony was full of colorful pageantry with flags and music."

"The royal wedding was a spectacular event full of colorful pageantry and tradition."

the merging of diverse cultural elements, styles, or traditions to create something unique

"It shows syncretism."

"The new religion showed syncretism by combining elements of local folk beliefs with the formal rituals brought by the foreign missionaries."

the belief that cultural diversity within a society should be respected

"Multiculturalism is very important."

"The city celebrates multiculturalism by hosting festivals representing various ethnic groups."

a group within a larger culture that shares distinctive values, norms, and behaviors, often differing from those of the dominant culture

"Goths are a subculture."

"The punk rock subculture emerged in the 1970s with its own distinct fashion and music."

the traditional beliefs, customs, stories, and legends of a particular community, usually passed down through generations by word of mouth

"Local folklore is rich."

"The story comes from old folklore."

an elegant gathering or party that is usually held in the evening

"We attended a soiree."

"The elegant soiree was held at the ambassador’s residence."

the practice of marrying within one's own social, ethnic, or cultural group

"Anthropologists researched endogamy in isolated communities"

"Endogamy preserved their unique cultural traditions for generations."

the act of sticking to old customs and ceremonies in a culture, focusing on doing things the traditional way

"The ritualism is strict."

"Excessive ritualism can become empty formality."

the belief in spirits residing within natural elements, objects, and living beings

"Animism believes spirits live in everything."

"Animism is the belief that natural objects like rivers trees and mountains have spirits or souls inside them."

related to a cultural system where lineage and inheritance are traced through the mother's side of the family

"The society is matrilineal."

"The matrilineal society traces family lineage through the mother's side and property is passed down from mothers to daughters."

related to a cultural system where lineage and inheritance are traced through the father's side of the family

"The tribe is patrilineal."

"In a patrilineal system children inherit their father's surname and family wealth is passed down through the male line of the family tree."

relating to the process of acquiring or adapting to the cultural norms, customs, and practices of a different or dominant culture

"The process is acculturational."

"The acculturational process for immigrants involves learning the language customs and values of their new country while sometimes keeping traditions from their homeland."

a distinctive style, behavior, or way of doing things that is characteristic of a particular individual, group, or period

"His mannerisms annoyed his coworkers."

"His unique mannerisms made him stand out from everyone else in the office."