subclan
noun
sub·clan
ˈsəb-ˌklan 
variants
or sub-clan
plural subclans or sub-clans
: a clan that is part of a larger clan
… clans may contain clans, which are usually called subclans.—
Marvin Harris
Marvin HarrisThere are six main clans and minority groups, and dozens of subclans.—Edmund Sanders
Edmund SandersExamples of subclan in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Deep divisions and distrust between officials in Mogadishu and regional leaders, as well as among clans and subclans, threaten to fragment the country.
—Sarah Harrison, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2023
From a subclan of the Mahariya Rizeigat tribe, nomadic people that herded camels in Darfur, Hemedti got his start as a commander of the Janjaweed.
—Eliza MacKintosh, CNN, 26 Apr. 2023
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Sarah Harrison, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2023
From a subclan of the Mahariya Rizeigat tribe, nomadic people that herded camels in Darfur, Hemedti got his start as a commander of the Janjaweed.
—Eliza MacKintosh, CNN, 26 Apr. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Subclan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subclan. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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