tribe

noun

ˈtrīb 

plural tribes

1

a

: a social group composed chiefly of numerous families, clans, or generations having a shared ancestry and language

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

• blood
• clan
• family
• folks
• house
• kin
• kindred
• kinfolk
• kinfolks
• kinsfolk
• line
• lineage
• people
• race
• stock

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

After they were divided into three tribes – Civa, Vula, and Lagi – the contestants got to work outwitting and outplaying one another, as well as forming alliances (including Eva and Joe’s, as well as Kyle and Kamilla’s partnership). —Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025

Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday formally apologized for New York’s role in operating an upstate boarding school in which Native American children from tribes across the state were forced to assimilate into American society while being subjected to physical and psychological abuse. —Muri Assunção, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025

The editing was also choppy at times and there seemed no real flow to the season in terms of tribe dynamics. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 15 May 2025

The story follows a hunter from a Neanderthal tribe on a quest for revenge. —Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 15 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing tribe

• sub-tribe

Rhymes for tribe

• bribe
• gibe
• jibe
• vibe
• ascribe
• describe
• imbibe
• inscribe
• prescribe
• proscribe
• subscribe
• transcribe

Kids Definition

tribe

noun

ˈtrīb 

1

: 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

ˈtrīb 

: a category of taxonomic classification sometimes equivalent to or ranking just below a suborder but more commonly ranking below a subfamily