tribal

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English

Etymology

From Latin tribālis. By surface analysis, tribe +‎ -al, first attested in the 1630s.

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /ˈtɹaɪbəl/
    • (file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪbəl

Adjective

tribal (comparative more tribal, superlative most tribal)

  1. Of or relating to tribes.
    social order through tribal law
  2. Based on or organized according to tribes.
    a tribal society

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

tribal (plural tribals)

  1. A design or image that has been influenced by indigenous peoples; especially such a tattoo.
  2. (India) A member of a tribe.
    • 1983, Human Science: Journal of the Anthropological Survey of India, page 141:
      This right had been accepted by relative tribals but misobeyed and effaced by non-tribals and foreign peasants.
    • 2018, Vaijayanta Anand, Geeta Balakrishnan, Purnima George, Community Practices in India: Lessons from the Grassroots, page 66:
      [] the legendary Adivasi leader Jaipal Singh Munda who came to represent the tribals not just of his native plateau, but also of all of India []

Derived terms

References

  1. ^ tribal”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
  2. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.
  3. ^ tribal”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
  4. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “tribal”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Catalan

Pronunciation

Adjective

tribal m or f (masculine and feminine plural tribals)

  1. (relational) tribe; tribal (of or pertaining to tribes)
  2. tribal (based on or organized according to tribes)

Related terms

Further reading

Cebuano

Etymology

Similar vowel sounds of bright and tribe. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Adjective

tribal

  1. bright; having a clear, quick intellect; intelligent

French

Etymology

From tribu +‎ -al, possibly influenced by English tribal.

Pronunciation

Adjective

tribal (feminine tribale, masculine plural tribals or tribaux, feminine plural tribales)

  1. tribal

Related terms

Further reading

Galician

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tɾiˈbal/
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Hyphenation: tri‧bal

Adjective

tribal m or f (plural tribais)

  1. tribal (of or pertaining to tribes)
  2. tribal (based on or organized according to tribes)

Related terms

Further reading

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from French tribal or from tribo (tribe) +‎ -al (of or relating to).

Pronunciation

 

  • Rhymes: (Portugal) -al, (Brazil) -aw
  • Hyphenation: tri‧bal

Adjective

tribal m or f (plural tribais)

  1. tribal

References

  1. ^ tribal” in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa. Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2024.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French tribal. Equivalent to trib +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

Adjective

tribal m or n (feminine singular tribală, masculine plural tribali, feminine and neuter plural tribale)

  1. tribal

Declension

Further reading

Spanish

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tɾiˈbal/
  • Rhymes: -al
  • Syllabification: tri‧bal

Adjective

tribal m or f (masculine and feminine plural tribales)

  1. tribal (of or relating to tribes)
  2. tribal (based on or organized according to tribes)

Related terms

Further reading