clannish

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   socially exclusive and strongly attached to one's own close group

   The organization had a clannish culture that made newcomers feel unwelcome.

2. 2
   adj

   characteristic of a clan, especially in showing strong internal loyalty

   Their clannish loyalty kept the extended family united through the dispute.

Formed from clan + -ish. The neutral sense 'characteristic of a clan' developed a frequently critical social sense for groups whose intense internal loyalty excludes outsiders.

Topics