tribelet

American  

[trahyb-lit] / ˈtraɪb lɪt /

noun

1. a tribe having few members, especially one that is a component of a larger tribal organization.

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Etymology

Origin of tribelet

First recorded in 1850–55; tribe + -let

Example Sentences

The Cholbon tribelet of the Northern Valley Yokuts tribe originally inhabited the area now called Mountain House, according to the Mountain House Community Services District.

From Los Angeles Times

On the other hand, the account is not entirely clear as to whether or not there were members of the Cosumnes tribelet concerned.

From Project Gutenberg

The Cosumnes group.—On the river of this name lived the large and important aggregate of peoples known popularly as the Cosumnes, which included a restricted tribelet or subgroup also called Cosumnes.

From Project Gutenberg

That the group was fairly large is attested by the fact that Gatten reported, under the name Yalesumne, that 485 were alive in 1846, Since no open valley group could possibly have retained more than one-third of its former members in 1846, it does not seem excessive to ascribe 1,455 persons to the tribelet.

From Project Gutenberg

The Bolbones, probably a Yokuts tribelet, had been converted at San José during the preceding decade.

From Project Gutenberg