clan

clan

noun \ˈklan\

Definition of CLAN

1

a : a Celtic group especially in the Scottish Highlands comprising a number of households whose heads claim descent from a common ancestor b : a group of people tracing descent from a common ancestor : family

2

: a group united by a common interest or common characteristics

Examples of CLAN

1. The tribe is divided into clans.
2. The whole clan gets together for the holidays.

Origin of CLAN

Middle English, from Scottish Gaelic clann offspring, clan, from Old Irish cland plant, offspring, from Latin planta plant

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to CLAN

Synonyms: body, bunch, circle, gang, clique, community, coterie, coven, crowd, fold, galère, klatch (also klatsch), lot, network, pack, ring, set

Related Words: charmed circle, elite, in-group; closed shop; club, college, fellowship, guild (also gild), league, organization, society; camp, faction, sect, side, tribe; mess, squad; brotherhood, fraternity, order, sisterhood, sodality, sorority; commune; alliance, bloc, coalition, confederation, congress, council, federation, union

Near Antonyms: loner; individualist

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Other Anthropology Terms

ectomorph, ethnography, prehistory, yurt

Rhymes with CLAN

an, ban, bran, can, Dan, fan, flan, Jan, Klan, man, pan, Pan, panne, plan, scan, Shan, span, tan, van, Van