tribal

American  

[trahy-buhl] / ˈtraɪ bəl /

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.

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ˈtribal British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of tribal

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

Example Sentences

The regulations are a turning point in a decades-long fight between tribal casinos and the cardroom industry.

From Los Angeles Times

From its exotic location to the now-iconic buffs, “Survivor” established a world all its own, complete with a unique lexicon of immunity challenges, tribal council and Probst’s signature catchphrase, “The tribe has spoken.”

From Los Angeles Times

“The AGA strongly supports this bipartisan effort, led by senators Schiff and Curtis, to uphold state and tribal sovereignty and protect consumers by ensuring sports- and gambling-related contracts are prohibited.”

From MarketWatch

Government forces have been accused of siding with tribal groups despite saying they were intervening to restore order.

From BBC

Many tribal leaders were coerced into signing the original treaties, with limited to no translation support to help them understand what they were signing.

From Los Angeles Times