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

Other Word Forms

• tribalist noun
• tribalistic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tribalism¹

First recorded in 1885–90; tribal + -ism

Example Sentences

They vote on charisma, tribalism, and maybe some hope and fear.

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Eli sees a “troubling moral and intellectual drift toward tribalism and away from the universal principles that have long defined American conservatism.”

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The study's authors emphasize that soccer fandom offers an ethical, controlled way to study these neural processes and test strategies that could apply to broader social issues -- including political division, sectarian conflict, and online tribalism.

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“It is a symptom of this 20-year trend in increasing polarization and political tribalism,” he said.

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Speaking from Canterbury Cathedral, she said that "in an age that craves certainty and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter but stronger".

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