when in Rome

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the principle that one should adapt to the customs, norms, and expectations of whatever place or community one finds oneself in, rather than insisting on one's own familiar practices; the full version of the phrase is when in Rome, do as the Romans do, attributed to Saint Ambrose of Milan who advised Saint Augustine to follow the fasting customs of Rome when visiting there rather than those of Milan; the phrase is used to justify cultural adaptation in travel, international business, and social situations where conformity to local practice is respectful and pragmatic; it can also be used more critically to describe the willingness to abandon one's own standards in deference to a majority, raising questions about the limits of cultural adaptation and the importance of maintaining personal integrity