clan

noun

ˈklan 

1

a

: a Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor

the MacDonald clan

b

: a group of people tracing descent from a common ancestor : family

The whole clan gets together for the holidays.

2

: a group united by a common interest or common characteristics

the country club clan

Synonyms of clan

• clique
• community
• crowd
• network
• circle
• pack
• bunch
• gang
• coven
• tribe
• organization

Examples of clan in a Sentence

The tribe is divided into clans.

The whole clan gets together for the holidays.

Recent Examples on the Web

Back in New York City, Stacy Clyburn (Pfeiffer) is the matriarch of a splintering clan. —Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026

Speaking with Variety ahead of the film’s premiere, Langballe recalls how Martin was first brought into his family as a five-month-old foster baby, eventually joining the clan permanently. —Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 13 Mar. 2026

The latest to come out of that period and onto the big screen is Family Movie, an idea Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick had to bring their clan closer together in dark times. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026

Jack Osbourne on Wednesday announced the addition of another Ozzy Osbourne to the late rocker’s clan. —Assistant Editor, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Scottish Gaelic clann offspring, clan, from Old Irish cland plant, offspring, from Latin planta plant

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing clan

• inter-clan
• sub-clan

Rhymes for clan

• an
• ban
• bran
• can
• cann
• duan
• fan
• flan
• gran
• jann
• klan
• lan

Kids Definition

clan

noun

ˈklan 

1

a

: a group (as in the Scottish Highlands) made up of households whose heads claim to have a common ancestor

b

: a group of people having a common ancestor : family

2

: a group of persons united by a common interest

the whole clan of actors