- [uncountable, countable] the way in which words are used in a language
- a book on current English usage
- It's not a word in common usage.
Extra Examples- Dictionaries show typical patterns of usage.
- Dictionary definitions tend to show stereotypical patterns of usage.
- Drug usage by teenagers has increased in recent years.
- That word is no longer in common usage.
- The term ‘eco-tourism’ entered common usage in the 1990s.
- The word has a slightly different meaning in popular usage.
- The dictionary focuses on the more usual words of the language and avoids rare usages of these words.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- common
- everyday
- general
- …
- come into
- enter
- in usage
- pattern of usage
- [uncountable] the fact of something being used; how much something is used
- land usage
- Car usage is predicted to increase.
Extra Examples- Usage of computers in schools is increasing.
- With normal usage, the equipment should last at least five years.
- high energy usage
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- heavy
- high
- low
- …
- increase
- reduce
- restrict
- …
- go up
- grow
- increase
- …
- pattern
- level
- rate
- …
- usage of
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘customary practice’): from Old French, from us ‘a use’, from Latin usus, from uti ‘to use’.
Check pronunciation:
usage