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tribalist

tribalist

7.7
About the customs or way of life of a traditional community
  • adjective
  • /ˈtraɪbəlɪst/
translation icon : tribalista
  • Her tribalist beliefs shaped her perspective on the importance of preserving cultural heritage.

Examples

  • In a tribalist society, the traditions and practices of each tribe play a vital role in community life.

  • The population is too large for tribalist socialism.

    Blog text (1)

  • In turn, politicians from minority groups rallied support by citing the rhetoric of their opponents and countering with their own tribalist invective.

    Academic text (2010)

  • This perspective explains the African zeal and ready sacrifices that even the very poor make for community development, as well as so-called tribalist voting patterns reflecting the popular assumption that the role of political representatives is to secure material benefits for their constituencies.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The tribalist customs of the indigenous people emphasize their connection to the land.

Synonyms

ethnic
vstribalist
394 3.8

Relating to a group's culture and traditions

is narrower, applying only to societies organized by kin groups
tribal
vstribalist
270 3.6

Relating to people who live in small traditional groups and share customs

focuses on the same societies rather than on general groups
ethnocultural
vstribalist
  • Specialized
8.0

Relating to the culture and traditions of a particular group of people

focuses on customs and organization of societies defined by kin ties

How Tribal

clannish
1 8.2
tribalist
7.7
communal
41 3.9
nontribal
6.1

Surface Forms

tribalist positive

Morphology

tribalist = tribal (transparent) = tribe + al + ist

Formed by the common sequence tribe -> tribal -> tribalist (agent/relational -ist), so the relation to 'tribe' is clear to learners.

Etymology

Tribalist comes from tribe ('a group of people with the same customs') and the ending -al ('related to'). So tribalist as an adjective describes things that belong to or show tribal customs.