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
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
The event consists of live music, competition events such as highland dancing and sheepdog trials, food vendors and educational classes on what Scottish clans are.
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Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Jenny Calendar has been revealed to be of gypsy descent, the same clan that cursed Angel with a soul, and she was sent to Sunnydale to monitor Angel—a secret that served as another wedge in her relationship with Giles, although the pair were moving toward reconciliation.
—ArsTechnica, 7 June 2026
Various members of the Castro clan were sanctioned in the latest round of designations announced by the Treasury Department June 4.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 6 June 2026
My connoisseurship plays second fiddle to my status as a member of the clan.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for clan
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Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2026
Jenny Calendar has been revealed to be of gypsy descent, the same clan that cursed Angel with a soul, and she was sent to Sunnydale to monitor Angel—a secret that served as another wedge in her relationship with Giles, although the pair were moving toward reconciliation.
—ArsTechnica, 7 June 2026
Various members of the Castro clan were sanctioned in the latest round of designations announced by the Treasury Department June 4.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 6 June 2026
My connoisseurship plays second fiddle to my status as a member of the clan.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for clan
Cite this Entry
“Clan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clan. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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