tribe

n. [ L. tribus, originally, a third part of the Roman people, afterwards, a division of the people, a tribe; of uncertain origin: cf. F. tribu. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

A wealthy Hebrew of my tribe. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) A number of species or genera having certain structural characteristics in common; as, a tribe of plants; a tribe of animals. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ By many recent naturalists, tribe has been used for a group of animals or plants intermediate between order and genus. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Stock Breeding) A family of animals descended from some particular female progenitor, through the female line; as, the Duchess tribe of shorthorns. [ 1913 Webster ]