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REFERENCE

tribe

n.
US //ˈtɹaɪb// UK //tɹˈaɪb// tribe
  1. 1 ethnic/historical group (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a group of people, often living in a specific area, who share the same language, ancestors, and customs.

    a social group comprising numerous families, clans, or generations together with slaves, dependents, or adopted strangers.

    Example

    The anthropologist spent three years living with a nomadic tribe in the desert.

    Example

    Historical accounts describe how various tribes formed a loose confederation to defend their shared ancestral territories against colonial expansion.
  2. 2 social group of friends (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    a group of people who spend a lot of time together because they share the same interests or lifestyle.

    a socially cohesive group of people within a larger society, often defined by shared values or subcultural interests.

    Example

    She finally found her tribe when she joined the local hiking club.

    Example

    In the digital age, many individuals find their tribe through online forums dedicated to niche hobbies or specific political ideologies.
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  1. 3 biological classification (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a group used to classify living things that is smaller than a family but larger than a genus.

    a taxonomic category that ranks above genus and below family or subfamily.

    Example

    In biology class, we learned that this plant belongs to a specific tribe within the rose family.

    Example

    The researcher proposed a reclassification of the species based on genetic markers that suggested a different placement within the tribe.
  2. 4 group of animals (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    a group of certain animals, especially apes, that live and work together.

    a collective group of animals, particularly primates, exhibiting social structure and cooperation.

    Example

    The documentary showed how the tribe of chimpanzees hunted together in the forest.

    Example

    Observations of the tribe revealed a complex social hierarchy where grooming played a vital role in maintaining alliances between males.
Origin

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

Word family

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