Etymology

tribe

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Today it means: An ethnic group larger than a band or clan (and which may contain clans) but smaller than a nation (and which in turn may constitute a nation with other tribes). The tribe is often the basis of ethnic identity. Full definition →

Middle English tribe ← Old French tribu ← Latin tribus
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tribe · noun, verb1

  1. Latin · derived fromtribus
  2. Old French · derived fromtribu
  3. Middle English · inherited fromtribe
  4. English todaytribe

PIE word *tréyes From Middle English tribe, tribu, from Old French tribu, from Latin tribus. Doublet of tribus. Displaced native Old English hād (“tribe, group”).

Tribe · proper noun2

Southern English surname of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Latin tribus.

Words from the same roots

Latintribus all →

tribus

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.