tribal

[trahy-buhl]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a tribe.

   tribal customs in Indonesia.

2. designating, characterized by, or relating to a strong sense of loyalty to one’s own tribe, party, or group.

   Tribal politics can be divisive and counterproductive.

ˈtribal

/ ˈtraɪbəl /

adjective

1. of or denoting a tribe or tribes

   tribal chiefs in northern Yemen

2. displaying loyalty to a tribe, group, or tribal values

   the tribal loyalties of Labour MPs

Other Word Forms

• tribally adverb
• nontribal adjective
• quasi-tribal adjective
• subtribal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tribal¹

First recorded in 1625–35; tribe + -al ¹

Example Sentences

He pointed out California allows university programs that support Native American students because they were narrowly tailored to focus on tribal affiliation — which is considered a political classification — instead of race or ethnicity.

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Even when researchers randomly sort volunteers into contrived teams, the familiar tribal reflex appears, “engaging empathy circuits more strongly for those on their team.”

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A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, many of them with large tribal casinos in their districts, pushed for the gambling measure, while a smaller group of lawmakers with cardrooms in their districts opposed it.

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He speaks French, English and two tribal languages.

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According to the detective, the cooperator identified Quintero by his legal name, nickname and birth date — even describing a distinctive tribal band tattoo on his arm.

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