tribe

noun

ˈtrīb 

plural tribes

1

a

: a social group composed chiefly of numerous families, clans, or generations having a shared ancestry and language

b

: a political division of the Roman people originally representing one of the three original tribes of ancient Rome

c

: phyle

2

: a group of persons having a common character, occupation, or interest

3

: a category of taxonomic classification ranking below a subfamily

also : a natural group irrespective of taxonomic rank

the cat tribe

the rose tribe

Synonyms

• blood
• clan
• family
• folks
• house
• kin
• kindred
• kinfolk
• kinfolks
• kinsfolk
• line
• lineage
• people
• race
• stock

Examples of tribe in a Sentence

a tribe of artists with wild hair and casual manners

the wedding joined the two tribes together

Recent Examples on the Web

Darcie Houck voted against the agency’s decision, citing California’s climate leadership and the potential for community solar to help low-income families, heavily polluted neighborhoods and Native American tribes lower their power bills. —Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2024

The 1830 Indian Removal Act epitomized this shift, authorizing the relocation of Native tribes west of the Mississippi River. —Francine Uenuma, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2024

Without a settlement, the tribes would be at the mercy of courts. —Susan Montoya Bryan, Fortune, 24 May 2024

That’s the year Perry Farrell created a touring farewell party for his Jane’s Addiction, invited still-new bands such as Nine Inch Nails and Ice T’s Body Count for the ride, and found a tribe of like-minded rebel youth enthralled with his tribal gathering. —A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 21 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin tribus, a division of the Roman people, tribe

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tribe

• sub-tribe

Kids Definition

tribe

noun

ˈtrīb 

1

: a social group made up of many families, clans, or generations that share the same language, customs, and beliefs

2

: a group of persons with a common character, occupation, or interest

3

: a group of related plants or animals

Medical Definition

tribe

noun

ˈtrīb 

: a category of taxonomic classification sometimes equivalent to or ranking just below a suborder but more commonly ranking below a subfamily