English Explanatory Dictionary

tribe

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An ethnic group larger than a band or clan (and which may contain clans) but smaller than a nation (and which in turn may constitute a nation with other tribes). The tribe is often the basis of ethnic identity.
  2. A tribal nation or people.
  3. A nation or people considered culturally primitive, as may be the case in Africa, Australia or Native America.
  4. A socially cohesive group of people within a society.
  5. A class or group of things.
  6. A group of apes who live and work together.
  7. A hierarchical rank between family and genus.
  8. A group of affiliated Mardi Gras Indians.
  9. The collective noun for various animals.
  10. A family of animals descended from some particular female progenitor, through the female line.
verb
  1. To distribute into tribes or classes; to categorize.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/tɹaɪb/ en-us-tribe.ogg

Word forms

tribe tribes tribing tribed

Etymology

PIE word *tréyes From Middle English tribe, tribu, from Old French tribu, from Latin tribus. Doublet of tribus.

Synonyms

tribus nation ingroup

Related words

ethnic

Derived words

criminal tribe Delaware Tribe of Indians Delaware Tribe of Western Oklahoma Grey Tribe member of the tribe tribal tribalism tribalist tribalistic tribally tribehood tribelet tribesmember your vibe attracts your tribe
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