plural tribes
1
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
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
Instead of just making the Berk tribe inexplicably multiracial, this little bit of world-building gives an explanation to the (slightly) more diverse casting.
—
Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
Her additional screen credits include roles in Max's The Last of Us and 2024's Suncoast.
03 of 09
Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast
Butler reprises his role as Stoick the Vast, Hiccup's father and the chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 13 June 2025
The accord with states and tribes guaranteed up to a decade without those lawsuits.
—Tony Schick, ProPublica, 13 June 2025
Significantly, the circles represent specific villages or nomadic bands, not tribes or nations.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tribe
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Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
Her additional screen credits include roles in Max's The Last of Us and 2024's Suncoast.
03 of 09
Gerard Butler as Stoick the Vast
Butler reprises his role as Stoick the Vast, Hiccup's father and the chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 13 June 2025
The accord with states and tribes guaranteed up to a decade without those lawsuits.
—Tony Schick, ProPublica, 13 June 2025
Significantly, the circles represent specific villages or nomadic bands, not tribes or nations.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tribe
Cite this Entry
“Tribe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tribe. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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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