Meanings
plural Kustoms
- USA uniquely modified, post-World War II American automobile built or styled between the 1930s and early 1960s; rather than aiming for performance like early "hot rods", these cars were heavily stylized for show, featuring chopped roofs, molded body lines, and radical paint jobs.
Synonyms: Kustom Kar
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA uniquely modified, post-World War II American automobile built or styled between the 1930s and early 1960s; rather than aiming for performance like early "hot rods", these cars were heavily stylized for show, featuring chopped roofs, molded body lines, and radical paint jobs.
Origin
From custom (custom car); the usage of a "K" for Kustom rather than a "C", is believed to have originated with George Barris.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Kustom. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kustom
“Kustom.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kustom. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Kustom,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Kustom.
Source: Kustom on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.