clan

American  

[klan] / klæn /

noun

1. a group of families or households, as among the Scottish Highlanders, the heads of which claim descent from a common ancestor.

   the Mackenzie clan.

2. a group of people of common descent; family.

   Our whole clan got together for Thanksgiving.

3. a group of people, as a clique, set, society, or party, especially as united by some common trait, characteristic, or interest.

   a clan of actors and directors.

4. Anthropology.

   1. the principal social unit of tribal organization, in which descent is reckoned exclusively in either the paternal or the maternal line.

   2. a group of people regarded as being descended from a common ancestor.

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clan British  

/ klæn /

noun

1. a group of people interrelated by ancestry or marriage

2. a group of families with a common surname and a common ancestor, acknowledging the same leader, esp among the Scots and the Irish

3. a group of people united by common characteristics, aims, or interests

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Other Word Forms

• clanless adjective
• interclan adjective
• subclan noun

Etymology

Origin of clan

1375–1425; late Middle English ( Scots ) < Scots Gaelic clann < Old Irish cland offspring < Latin planta scion, plant, perhaps directly < British Celtic; compare Welsh plant children

Example Sentences

The sequel—again starring Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin—sees the clan having to leave the safety of the bunker it calls home in search of a new place to live.

From The Wall Street Journal

One man’s biographical note stands out: that of Sheikh Sarkar, the patriarch of a clan that provides the “hereditary muscle” for a family of Punjabi landowners.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s been two years since the first season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” ended with a surprise two-year time jump and I’ve been waiting to see what’s next for the extended Randa clan ever since.

From Los Angeles Times

Those in favour of Somaliland's independence argue that the region is predominantly populated by those from the Isaaq clan - an ethnic difference from the rest of Somalia.

From BBC

"We also reject the attempts by traditional elders who want to resolve this case through clan customs or behind closed doors."

From BBC

Related Words

• band
• faction
• gang
• mob
• sect
• society
• tribe