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tribalism

[ trahy-buh-liz-uhm ]

noun

  1. the customs and beliefs of tribal life and society.
  2. strong loyalty to one's own tribe, party, or group:

    the tribalism of New Yorkers.



tribalism

/ ˈtraɪbəˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. the state of existing as a separate tribe or tribes
  2. the customs and beliefs of a tribal society
  3. loyalty to a tribe or tribal values
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • ˌtribalˈistic, adjective
  • ˈtribalist, nounadjective
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Other Words From

  • tribal·ist noun
  • tribal·istic adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tribalism1

First recorded in 1885–90; tribal + -ism
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Example Sentences

Now, that altruistic mentality has reverted to the all-too-familiar mean of tribalism.

But, he says, while tribalism may have helped a few players get started in their careers, it wouldn’t have been enough to get a player into the first eleven.

From Time

Packer’s account of America’s decline into destructive tribalism is always illuminating and often dazzling, even though it leaves out tens of millions of Americans who belong to none of the four tribes and see them for what they are.

I could see the tribalism that was emerging in our society and it seemed to me, “Oh, I missed this one.”

We must transcend our tribalism to survive and thrive as the United States of America.

From Time

Nadia's parents emigrated to England from Pakistan during the 1970s, and they brought tribalism with them.

They have their various neighborhood, civic, recreational and national identities, none of which are defined by Jewish tribalism.

Their tribalism makes them instinctive defenders of Israeli action.

This newly shaped global brain can topple the traditional barriers of religion, tribalism, nationalism, and political oppression.

Sometimes feminism seems just a form of tribalism: the woman is always right, especially when she's wrong.

A strange compound of feudalism with tribalism ensued, in the shape of mongrel chieftaincies, henceforth the predominant powers.

Treitschke is the prophet of tribalism, Nietzsche of ruthlessness, Bernhardi of ambition.

But the Celtic state did not emerge from tribalism in Britain; the Celtic heroes were always tribal heroes.

Christianity was the first expression of world religion, the first complete repudiation of tribalism and war and disputation.

But for his pigheaded tribalism, Rachel would have been alive to-day.

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