Category:Tribe

Tribe, n. Etym: [l. tribus, originally, a third part of the roman People, afterwards, a division of the people, a tribe; of uncertain Origin: cf. F. tribu.]

1. A family, race, or series of generations, descending from the same Progenitor, and kept distinct, as in the case of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of jacob. "the lion of the Tribe of juda." Rev. v. 5. A wealthy hebrew of my tribe. Shak.

2. (bot.)

Defn: a number of species or genera having certain structural Characteristics in common; as, a tribe of plants; a tribe of animals.

Note: by many recent naturalists, tribe has been used for a group of Animals or plants intermediate between order and genus.family is Between order and genus.

3. A nation of savages or uncivilized people; a body of rude people United under one leader or government; as, the tribes of the six Nations; the seneca tribe.

4. A division, class, or distinct portion of a people, from whatever Cause that distinction may have originated; as, the city of athens Was divided into ten tribes.

5. (stock breeding)

Defn: a family of animals descended from some particular female Progenitor, through the female line; as, the duchess tribe of Shorthorns.

Tribe Tribe, v. t.

Defn: to distribute into tribes or classes. [r.] Our fowl, fish, and quadruped are well tribed. Abp. Nicolson.

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---excerpt from the Illustrated Bible Dictionary

Tribe - A collection of families descending from one ancestor. The "twelve tribes" of the Hebrews were the twelve collections of families which sprang from the sons of Jacob. In Matthew 24:30 the word has a wider significance. The tribes of Israel are referred to as types of the spiritual family of God (Rev. 7). (See KINGDOM OF ISRAEL; OF JUDAH.)