Village vs. Tribe — What's the Difference?

Administrative divisions within cities in some countries.

Informal: A large family or a group of people who share common characteristics or interests.

In gaming and fictional contexts, a small settlement that adventurers may visit.

A social division in a traditional society consisting of families linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties.

A cluster of dwelling houses in tribal societies, sometimes semi-nomadic.

In anthropology, a level of human social organization more complex than a band but less structured than a state.

A small community or group of houses in a rural area, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town.

A group of people who share a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader.

A self-contained district or community within a town or a city, perceived as a smaller, distinct area.

The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant usage of the term is in the discipline of anthropology.

A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Though villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighborhoods.

A unit of sociopolitical organization consisting of a number of families, clans, or other groups who share a common ancestry and culture and among whom leadership is typically neither formalized nor permanent.

A small group of dwellings in a rural area, usually ranking in size between a hamlet and a town.

Any of the three divisions of the ancient Romans, namely, the Latin, Sabine, and Etruscan.

In some US states, an incorporated community smaller in population than a town.

Any of the 12 divisions of ancient Israel.

The inhabitants of a village; villagers.

A phyle of ancient Greece.

A dense group of animal habitations

A group of people sharing an occupation, interest, or habit

A rural habitation of size between a hamlet and a town.

(Informal) A large family.

(British) A rural habitation that has a church, but no market.

(Biology) A taxonomic category ranking below a family or subfamily and above a genus and usually containing several genera.

(Australia) A planned community such as a retirement community or shopping district.

An ethnic group larger than a band or clan (and which may contain clans) but smaller than a nation (and which in turn may be contained within a nation). The tribe is often the basis of ethnic identity.

(Philippines) A gated community.

(synecdoche) A tribal nation or people.

A small assemblage of houses in the country, less than a town or city.

(pejorative) A nation or people in an area considered culturally primitive, such as Africa, Australia or Native America.

A community of people smaller than a town

A socially cohesive group of people within a society

A settlement smaller than a town

(zoology) A group of apes who live and work together.

A mainly residential district of Manhattan; `the Village' became a home for many writers and artists in the 20th century

(taxonomy) A hierarchal rank between family and genus.

The collective noun for various animals.

(stock breeding) A family of animals descended from some particular female progenitor, through the female line.

(transitive) To distribute into tribes or classes; to categorize.

A family, race, or series of generations, descending from the same progenitor, and kept distinct, as in the case of the twelve tribes of Israel, descended from the twelve sons of Jacob.

A number of species or genera having certain structural characteristics in common; as, a tribe of plants; a tribe of animals.

A nation of savages or uncivilized people; a body of rude people united under one leader or government; as, the tribes of the Six Nations; the Seneca tribe.

A division, class, or distinct portion of a people, from whatever cause that distinction may have originated; as, the city of Athens was divided into ten tribes.

A family of animals descended from some particular female progenitor, through the female line; as, the Duchess tribe of shorthorns.

To distribute into tribes or classes.

A social division of (usually preliterate) people

A federation (as of American Indians)

(biology) a taxonomic category between a genus and a subfamily

While many tribes are based on kinship, some can also be structured around shared cultural practices or geographic locations.

In many countries, tribes have legal recognition and certain rights that pertain to self-governance and territory.

Villages often rely on agriculture, local crafts, and small businesses as economic foundations.

Yes, villages can exist as distinct communities within urban areas, often retaining a unique identity and culture.

In villages, elders may hold informal respect, while in tribes, they often have formal roles in governance and social rites.

Villages play a crucial role in preserving local culture, traditions, and languages through community activities and interactions.

Common governance structures in tribes include councils of elders, chieftains, and sometimes democratic forms of community meetings.

Tribal affiliations can dictate many aspects of life, including social norms, marriage, and economic activities.

Education in villages often follows national curriculums, whereas tribal education might include traditional knowledge and practices.

A tribe is defined more by social and cultural ties than by geographical boundaries, unlike a village.

A village is defined primarily by its size and its rural setting, often characterized by a close-knit community.

Tribal sizes can vary widely, from a few hundred to tens of thousands of members, depending on the tribe and its history.

Tribal traditions can deeply influence modern behaviors, including legal systems, community interactions, and family structures.

Yes, a village can be part of a tribe, especially in cultures where tribal affiliation encompasses geographical locations.