Definition of clan
1a : a Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor the MacDonald clanb : 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
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Examples of clan in a Sentence
The tribe is divided into clans.
The whole clan gets together for the holidays.
Recent Examples of clan from the Web
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Still, as the White House descends into unabbreviated turmoil, the Trump clan continue to offer a self-conscious front of familial and political unity.
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Born in 1888 to an upper-middle-class Catholic clan in Quincy, Mass., Beston was encouraged at an early age by his parents to explore the Cape.
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The Kardashian-Jenner clan is being accused of cultural appropriation—again.
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Thrones’ vast number of clans includes the wealthy and louche Lannisters, including incestuous twins Cersei and Jaime.
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A warning, though: Demonstrating this with the clan onboard will lead to carsickness.
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Most of the land here is customarily held, fiercely protected by clan leaders who know the boundaries and can apprehend trespassers.
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Ventimiglia kills viewers with kindness as the Pearson clan's patriarch, Jack.
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The pole’s top figure represents the family’s clan, the Eagle, or Laxskiik, of the Tsimshian Nation.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clan.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of clan
Middle English, from Scottish Gaelic clann offspring, clan, from Old Irish cland plant, offspring, from Latin planta plant
Other Anthropology Terms
CLAN Defined for English Language Learners
clan
playDefinition of clan for English Language Learners
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: a large group of people who are related
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: a large family
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: a group of people who are similar or who are interested in the same thing
CLAN Defined for Kids
clan
playDefinition of clan for Students
1 : a group (as in the Scottish Highlands) made up of households whose heads claim to have a common ancestor
2 : a large family
Learn More about clan
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See words that rhyme with clan Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for clan Spanish Central: Translation of clan Nglish: Translation of clan for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of clan for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clan
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