Meaning & use

tribe

noun·Academic

A social group made up of related families that share a common language, culture, and leadership.

See it in a sentence

The tribe has lived along this river for many generations.

Anthropologists studied how the tribe organized its hunting and farming duties.

A note on using this word

In modern usage, some prefer 'community' or 'nation' for Indigenous groups, since 'tribe' can carry outdated connotations.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

(informal) A group of people with a shared interest, background, or style.

She finally found her tribe among the other new parents at the park.

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “tribe”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.