tribe

noun

\ ˈtrīb

Definition of tribe

1a : a social group comprising numerous families, clans, or generations together with slaves, dependents, or adopted strangers

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 Example Sentences Learn More about tribe

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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

In 2017, in New Zealand, a Maori tribe won their case to gain legal personhood for the Whanganui River, which the group recognizes as an ancestor. — Rachel Riederer, The New Republic, "Can Rivers Be People Too?," 9 May 2018 The name Preakness started with the Minsi, a northern New Jersey tribe of Native Americans. — baltimoresun.com, "Racehorse Preakness, namesake for Triple Crown's middle jewel, elected to Hall of Fame," 9 May 2018 At first, Troise and his new hires were a tribe unto themselves within JPMorgan. — Hugh Son, Bloomberg.com, "Wall Street’s Big Banks Are Waging an All-Out Technological Arms Race," 5 Apr. 2018 Their works simultaneously keep their culture’s traditions alive while proving that artists can break free from their tribe’s respective signatures and create pieces that are, yes, even trendy. — Vogue, "Meet 8 Indigenous Beaders Who Are Modernizing Their Craft," 24 Apr. 2019 In the first, Rafa delivers the dowry stipulated by Úrsula (Carmiña Martinez), the matriarch of her tribe: 30 goats, 20 cows, five necklaces and two decorative mules. — WSJ, "‘Birds of Passage’ Review: Splendor and the Grass," 14 Feb. 2019 Pocahontas and her tribe have never encountered the English before John Smith and his crew come to America, and yet, the Native Americans can all speak fluent English? 5. — Noelle Devoe, Seventeen, "11 Disney Movie Plot Holes That Will Forever Be Annoying," 30 Jan. 2019 Glitter makeup is one of those polarizing aesthetic choices that are like a bat signal for finding your tribe. — Allure, "Yes, You Can (and Should) Wear Glitter Makeup No Matter How Old You Are," 9 Oct. 2018 If partisanship declined as a result, so would pressure on voters to stick to their tribe. — The Economist, "American democracy’s built-in bias towards rural Republicans," 12 July 2018

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.