clan

Etymology

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic clann (“progeny, race”), from Old Irish cland, from Old Welsh plant, from Latin planta (“shoot, offspring”). Doublet of plant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klæn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æn

Noun

clan (plural clans)

1. (anthropology) A group of people all descended from a common ancestor, in fact or belief.
2. A traditional social group of families in the Scottish Highlands having a common hereditary chieftain
3. Any association of people behaving clannishly, including one's immediate family.
   • 1923, P.G. Wodehouse, The Inimitable Jeeves:

     As a rule, you see, I'm not lugged into Family Rows. On the occasions when Aunt is calling to Aunt like mastodons bellowing across primeval swamps and Uncle James's letter about Cousin Mabel's peculiar behaviour is being shot round the family circle... the clan has a tendency to ignore me.

4. (video games) A group of players who habitually play on the same team in multiplayer games.
5. A badger colony.

Anagrams

• NLCA, NaCl

Noun

clan m (plural clans)

1. clan

Etymology

Borrowed 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 is a doublet of plant (“plant, flora”).

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

clan m (plural clans, diminutive clannetje n)

1. clan

Etymology

Borrowed from English clan, Scottish Gaelic clann.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /klɑ̃/

Noun

clan m (plural clans)

1. clan

Further reading

• “clan” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Noun

clan m (plural clans)

1. clan

Etymology

Borrowed from English clan.

Noun

clan m (invariable)

1. clan
2. team
3. gang

Noun

clan m (plural clans)

1. Alternative spelling of clã

Etymology

Borrowed from English clan. Doublet of planta.

Noun

clan m (plural clanes)

1. clan