plural tribes
1
a
: a community composed chiefly of numerous families, clans, or generations who have a shared ancestry, culture, and language
nomadic desert tribes
coastal tribes of North America
—often used in the capitalized names of specific tribesmembers of the Hopi Tribe
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
… key pieces of advice: find your tribe online, post that unfiltered selfie …—
Chloe Hall
Chloe Hall… my tribe of mom friends …—Jo Piazza
Jo Piazza3
: a category of taxonomic classification ranking below a subfamily
also
: a natural group irrespective of taxonomic rank
the cat tribe
the rose tribe
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
On those olive green velvet banquettes sit a tribe of travelers and locals as elegantly dressed as the restaurant itself, typically in the know as this bistro slips under most’s radars.
—Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
The sites, which were awarded to the Oklahoma tribe and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, are the first two testing grounds for drones and other unmanned aircraft created in nearly a decade, according to the FAA.
—Janelle Stecklein, Oklahoma Voice, 11 Jan. 2026
Talking with Wiener was my way of stepping outside my own tribe on one set of issues.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
The Colorado River provides water for cities from Denver to San Diego, 30 Native tribes and farming communities from the Rocky Mountains to northern Mexico.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tribe
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Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Jan. 2026
The sites, which were awarded to the Oklahoma tribe and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, are the first two testing grounds for drones and other unmanned aircraft created in nearly a decade, according to the FAA.
—Janelle Stecklein, Oklahoma Voice, 11 Jan. 2026
Talking with Wiener was my way of stepping outside my own tribe on one set of issues.
—Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
The Colorado River provides water for cities from Denver to San Diego, 30 Native tribes and farming communities from the Rocky Mountains to northern Mexico.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tribe
Cite this Entry
“Tribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tribe. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tribe
noun1
: a social group made up of many families, clans, or generations that share the same language, customs, and beliefs
2
: a group of persons with a common character, occupation, or interest
3
: a group of related plants or animals
Medical Definition
tribe
noun
: a category of taxonomic classification sometimes equivalent to or ranking just below a suborder but more commonly ranking below a subfamily
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