tribes
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pluralof tribe.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
tribenounany group of people, typically a subdivision of a nation or an ethnic group, that is united by ties of descent from a common ancestor, shared customs and traditions, recognition of the same leader or leaders, etc.; a group of related clans.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He wasn’t the first to encounter them—the Yosemite Native tribes called the trees “wawona,” like the sound made by the northern spotted owl.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Leonard says different "tribes" have emerged out of these crises.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
They also feature Native American folklore passed down from tribes including the Comanche, Tonkawa and Lipan Apache, which all considered Enchanted Rock a sacred site.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Non-recognized tribes see it as another move by economically powerful tribes to protect their own interests and avoid having to negotiate with other local tribes over territorial disputes and how to best protect important sites.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
They were either farmers who were secretly Viet Cong, or they were members of one of the small mountain tribes fighting alongside the Communists.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
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