French word

tribu

Pronunciation

IPA/tʁiby/

Meaning

  • feminine nountribe

Example

Nous faisons partie de la même tribu.

We are part of the same tribe.

Illustration for tribu (tribe)

More examples

Elle ne veut pas appartenir à une tribu fermée.

She does not want to belong to a closed tribe.

Core concept

A community that sees itself as one people through shared roots and inherited ways of life.

Common phrases

  • appartenir à une tribu

    belong to a tribe

  • une tribu d'amis

    a tribe of friends

Similar words

famille: A small group of relatives linked by blood or marriage.
groupe: A temporary group gathered for a shared purpose or activity.
communauté: A group sharing a place, interests, or values.
clan: A small kinship group centered on shared ancestry.

Definition in French

Groupe humain constitué de personnes liées par la parenté, des traditions ou une origine commune, souvent considéré comme une unité sociale distincte.

Word origin

French tribu developed from Latin tribus, which first referred to a Roman civic division before acquiring broader meanings related to peoples and kin groups.

Usage tips

  • In modern French, tribu often suggests an ethnic or traditional community, while groupe or équipe usually suits an ordinary team or group of coworkers.

Other meanings

  • clannoun

Related words

  • tribaltribaladjective

Word lists with this word