tribalism

[ trahy-buh-liz-uhm ]

noun

1. the customs and beliefs of tribal life and society.
2. strong loyalty to one's own tribe, party, or group:

   the tribalism of New Yorkers.

tribalism

/ ˈtraɪbəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the state of existing as a separate tribe or tribes
2. the customs and beliefs of a tribal society
3. loyalty to a tribe or tribal values

Derived Forms

• ˌtribalˈistic, adjective
• ˈtribalist, nounadjective

Other Words From

• tribal·ist noun
• tribal·istic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tribalism¹

First recorded in 1885–90; tribal + -ism

Example Sentences

Now, that altruistic mentality has reverted to the all-too-familiar mean of tribalism.

From FiveThirtyEight

But, he says, while tribalism may have helped a few players get started in their careers, it wouldn’t have been enough to get a player into the first eleven.

From Time

Packer’s account of America’s decline into destructive tribalism is always illuminating and often dazzling, even though it leaves out tens of millions of Americans who belong to none of the four tribes and see them for what they are.

From Washington Post

I could see the tribalism that was emerging in our society and it seemed to me, “Oh, I missed this one.”

From Freakonomics

We must transcend our tribalism to survive and thrive as the United States of America.

From Time

Nadia's parents emigrated to England from Pakistan during the 1970s, and they brought tribalism with them.

From The Daily Beast

They have their various neighborhood, civic, recreational and national identities, none of which are defined by Jewish tribalism.

From The Daily Beast

Their tribalism makes them instinctive defenders of Israeli action.

From The Daily Beast

This newly shaped global brain can topple the traditional barriers of religion, tribalism, nationalism, and political oppression.

From The Daily Beast

Sometimes feminism seems just a form of tribalism: the woman is always right, especially when she's wrong.

From The Daily Beast

A strange compound of feudalism with tribalism ensued, in the shape of mongrel chieftaincies, henceforth the predominant powers.

From Project Gutenberg

Treitschke is the prophet of tribalism, Nietzsche of ruthlessness, Bernhardi of ambition.

From Project Gutenberg

But the Celtic state did not emerge from tribalism in Britain; the Celtic heroes were always tribal heroes.

From Project Gutenberg

Christianity was the first expression of world religion, the first complete repudiation of tribalism and war and disputation.

From Project Gutenberg

But for his pigheaded tribalism, Rachel would have been alive to-day.

From Project Gutenberg