tribe: [13] Tribe comes via Old French tribu from Latin tribus ‘division of the Roman people’. This was probably derived from the base *tri- ‘three’, and denoted etymologically the ‘three original tribes of Rome’ – the Tities, the Ramnes, and the Luceres. The ‘head of a tribe’ was known as a tribūnus, whence English tribune [14]; and the verb for ‘give out amongst the tribes’ was tribuere, source of English contribute [16], distribute [15], retribution [14], and tribute [14]. => contribute, distribute, retribution, three, tribune, tribute
tribe (n.)
mid-13c., "one of the twelve divisions of the ancient Hebrews," from Old French tribu or directly from Latin tribus "one of the three political/ethnic divisions of the original Roman state" (Tites, Ramnes, and Luceres, corresponding, perhaps, to the Latins, Sabines, and Etruscans), later, one of the 30 political divisions instituted by Servius Tullius (increased to 35 in 241 B.C.E.), of unknown origin. Perhaps from tri- "three" + *bheue-, root of the verb be. Others connect the word with the PIE root *treb- "a dwelling" (see tavern).
In the Biblical sense, which was the original one in English, the Latin word translates Greek phyle "race or tribe of men, body of men united by ties of blood and descent, a clan" (see phylo-). Extension to modern ethnic groups or races of people is from 1590s, specifically "a division of a barbarous race of people, usually distinguishable in some way from their congeners, united into a community under a recognized head or chief" [Century Dictionary], but colloquially of any aggregate of individuals of a kind.
实用例句
1. The US Government gave the land to the tribe in perpetuity.
美国政府将这块土地永久性划拨给该部族。
来自柯林斯例句
2. His intercession could be of help to the tribe.
他的调解可能会帮上该部落的忙。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Few know that the tribe was just passing through.
很少有人知道那个部族只是路过。
来自柯林斯例句
4. a tribe of cannibals
食人部落
来自《权威词典》
5. The tribe's development was more primitive than that of their neighbours.
