Conventional

Conventional is an adjective describing something that conforms to accepted standards, traditions, or general practice. It can refer to habits, methods, or forms that are common, standard, or traditional within a particular context. The term carries a neutral denotation of familiarity and normalcy, but can imply conservatism or resistance to novelty depending on usage.

Etymology: The word derives from Late Latin conventionalis, from convention (agreement or standard) and the Latin convenire “to come together.” It entered English via French and other routes, acquiring its sense of following established conventions.

In practice, conventional is used across domains. In sociology and culture, it identifies socially accepted norms and behaviors as opposed to unconventional or innovative ones. In medicine, conventional medicine denotes widely accepted Western medical practices, contrasted with alternative or complementary therapies. In energy and military discourse, conventional refers to non-nuclear weapons and non-nuclear energy sources, and to standard, organized military operations as opposed to irregular or unconventional warfare. In agriculture and industry, conventional methods rely on established techniques, machinery, and inputs, such as synthetic fertilizers in farming or standard internal-combustion engines in transportation.

The term can be descriptive or evaluative; it may suggest reliability and safety, or, depending on tone, imply conservatism, lack of originality, or resistance to change.