tribe

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noun \ˈtrīb\

Definition of tribe

1a : a social group comprising numerous families, clans, or generations together with slaves, dependents, or adopted strangersb : a political division of the Roman people originally representing one of the three original tribes of ancient Romec : 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

See tribe defined for English-language learners

See tribe defined for kids

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 of tribe from the Web

Even around the arid Kalahari food is plentiful (at least when the tribes are not forced to share the land with farmers and ranchers)—so much so that the typical adult need work less than 20 hours per week.

— The Economist, "Living off the land," 20 July 2017
Even though these are fantasy worlds, there are tribes, families, and dynasties.

— ella ceron, Teen Vogue, "'Game of Thrones' Casting Director Responds to Lack of Diverse Actors on Show," 12 July 2017
Virtually every day in Nimman, a neighborhood west of the old city favored by this tribe, there are meetups and networking groups and evening get-togethers, with a vibe that’s half-hippie, half-hustler.

— benjamin wallace, Daily Intelligencer, "The Culthopping Twins Who Have Been Evangelicals, Rappers, and Digital Nomads," 12 July 2017
Today, soldiers are often asked to not only take and hold terrain, but also to bring together tribes and factions who share difficult ethnic and religious histories.

— patrick granfield, The Atlantic, "Why Trump Should Embrace America's Immigrant Soldiers," 4 July 2017
The occasion enabled a sportswriter to spend 24 hours playing anthropologist, examining an exotic tribe: the retired pro athlete who has moved—sometimes gracefully, sometimes uneasily—into middle age.

— jon wertheim, SI.com, "The after-party: Inside the life of the modern professional athlete in retirement," 3 July 2017
The tribe owns and operates three bingo casinos in the state, and no gaming activity is planned at the Foley site.

— john sharp, AL.com, "OWA announcement means Alabama's newest amusement park rollin' next month," 30 June 2017
The tribe’s leaders have been working with federal and state officials to try to line up a new owner of the facility that could operate the plant beyond 2019, Touchin said.

— mark chediak, Bloomberg.com, "Biggest Coal Plant in U.S. West Gets Another 2 Years to Live," 27 June 2017
Tribe manager Terry Francona indicated that the team would monitor Kluber's pitch count.

— zack meisel, cleveland.com, "Cleveland Indians use chaos, Corey Kluber to crush Oakland Athletics, 8-0," 1 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tribe.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of tribe

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

Other Anthropology Terms

ectomorph, ethnography, prehistory, yurt

TRIBE Defined for English Language Learners

tribe

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noun

Definition of tribe for English Language Learners

: a group of people that includes many families and relatives who have the same language, customs, and beliefs
: a large family
: a group of people who have the same job or interest

TRIBE Defined for Kids

tribe

play

noun \ˈtrīb\

Definition of tribe for Students

1 : a group of people including many families, clans, or generations an American Indian tribe
2 : a group of people who are of the same kind or have the same occupation or interest