zwyczaj

Zwyczaj is a Polish noun meaning a customary practice or habitual pattern of behavior. It covers both informal actions that people do regularly and culturally significant practices that a community observes. In everyday use, zwyczaj can refer to personal habits (for example, “to jest mój zwyczaj picia kawy po obudzeniu”) as well as to conventions shared by groups, such as greetings, mealtime rituals, or festive observances.

In Polish usage, zwyczaj is often distinguished from tradycja (tradition). A zwyczaj is typically informal, evolving, and not codified, whereas tradition tends to denote longer-standing, more enduring cultural practices, though the two can overlap in common speech.

Etymology: The word originates in Old Polish and is linked to the verb zwyczaić (“to accustom” or “to make habitual”), reflecting the idea of something that has become customary. The singular form is zwyczaj; the genitive is zwyczaju; the plural is zwyczaje.

See also: tradition, habit, culture, etiquette, folklore.