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

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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

Then, when the roads disappear, you're met not with horses, but with reindeer, which will cart you three hours to your final destination: an Airbnb tepee with your hosts, Otgonbayar and Zorigt, members of the nomadic Dukha tribe. — Meredith Carey, Condé Nast Traveler, "You'll Need a Reindeer to Get to This Airbnb in Mongolia," 19 Nov. 2018 In the mythology of the Kwakiutl tribe that once heavily populated the western coast of British Columbia, Dzunukwa is a big, hairy female that lives deep in the mountainous forests. — Matt Blitz, Popular Mechanics, "Science Meets Legend: The Story of Our Search for Bigfoot," 8 Oct. 2018 What the pupil needs to learn is the dialect of a tribe. — Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, "Gus Van Sant’s Semi-Surreal “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot”," 13 July 2018 Tourism is the lifeblood of the tribe’s economy, with many residents making a living by working in the area’s lodge, cafe and small store, or packing camping gear onto the backs of mules headed up and down an eight-mile trail. — Washington Post, "Flooding forces 200 evacuations near Grand Canyon waterfalls," 12 July 2018 The camping and hiking permits are one of the tribe’s few sources of revenue, and help ensure that Beaver Falls stays protected. — Krista Langlois, Outside Online, "Sacred Native American Sites Are Not Your Playgrounds," 5 July 2018 Oklahoma countered that Congress’s intent to extinguish those lands is clear from its overall treatment of the tribe. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, "What the New Supreme Court Will Decide," 29 June 2018 Dolores slips into a loop, and in response Arnold slips into his, mentally kicking her out of the tribe. — Sandra Upson, WIRED, "Westworld Recap, Season 2 Episode 8: The Great Ghost Nation Mystery," 11 June 2018 Deb Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe, won her party's primary in the first congressional district Tuesday night. — USA TODAY, "Deb Haaland from New Mexico on track to become first Native American congresswoman," 6 June 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.