Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Clan
Clan
(klăn)
, Noun.
[Gael. ]
clann
offspring, descendants; akin to Ir. clann
, cland
, offspring, tribe, family; perh. from L. plania
scion, slip, cutting. Cf. Plant
, Noun.
1.
A tribe or collection of families, united under a chieftain, regarded as having the same common ancestor, and bearing the same surname;
“I have marshaled my clan.” as, the
. clan
of MacdonaldCampbell.
2.
A clique; a sect, society, or body of persons; esp., a body of persons united by some common interest or pursuit; – sometimes used contemptuously.
Partidge and the rest of his
clan
may hoot me. Smolett.
The whole
clan
of the enlightened among us. Burke.
Webster 1828 Edition
Clan
CLAN
, n.1.
A race; a family; a tribe. Hence, an association of persons under a chieftain.2.
In contempt, a sect, society, or body of persons closely united by some common interest or pursuit.Note. In Russ. Kolieno signifies a knee, and a family, race or tribe. Irish glun, the knee, and a generation.
Definition 2024
Clan
Clan
clan
clan
English
Noun
clan (plural clans)
- (anthropology) A group of people all descended from a common ancestor, in fact or belief.
- A traditional social group of families in the Scottish Highlands having a common hereditary chieftain
- Any association of people behaving clannishly.
- (video games) A group of players who habitually play on the same team in multiplayer games.
- A badger colony.
Derived terms
Descendants
Translations
group having common ancestor
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group of players who habitually play on the same team in multiplayer games
Dutch
Pronunciation
Etymology
From English clan, from Scottish Gaelic clann (“progeny, race”), from Old Irish cland, from Old Welsh plant, from Latin planta (“shoot, offspring”). As such, it forms a doublette with plant (“plant, flora”).
Noun
clan m (plural clans, diminutive clannetje n)
Descendants
- Afrikaans: clan