adj
tribal
TREYE-buhl
adj
1
Relating to, or organized around, a tribe or tribes.
"The region has long been governed by tribal councils."
2
Showing strong loyalty to one's own group, often at the expense of outsiders.
"Political debate has grown increasingly tribal in recent years."
How to Use Tribal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to a tribe, or (more broadly today) describing strong in-group loyalty and us-versus-them thinking.
Common pairings
tribal customs
tribal loyalty
tribal politics
Word Forms
more tribal comparative, tribals plural, most tribal superlative
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Etymology
From Latin tribalis, built on tribus ("tribe"), first recorded in English in the 1630s.