What does “clannish” mean?
clannish
Oh, this is a good one —
"Clannish" describes a group of people who stick very close together and don't easily welcome outsiders. Think of a "clan" — a tight family or tribe. "Clannish" comes from that idea.
So imagine you move to a new town and try to make friends, but the locals only hang out with each other and kind of ignore you. You might say, "The people here are so clannish — it's hard to break in."
Or picture a family that only trusts other family members and keeps everyone else at a distance. Someone might say, "They're a clannish bunch — they don't really open up to strangers."
It's not always super mean, but it does have a slightly negative feeling to it.
Basically, clannish = closed off and loyal only to your own little group.
Related words
The dictionary you'll enjoy reading.
What is Hey Dictionary?
Hey Dictionary explains words, slang, and idioms the way a native friend would — casual, with real examples — instead of a stiff, formal definition. Type a word and read it like a text from a friend.
Benefits of using Hey
- –deeper & more nuanced understanding of the word
- –greatly increase comprehensible input
- –learn natural spoken language
- –make language learning more fun
Who is Hey for?
- –Casual language learners (travel, making friends, cultural exchange)
- –People who prioritize verbal over written expression
- –People tired of ordinary, boring dictionaries
How to use Hey (effectively)?
- 1.Enter a word or short phrase you want to learn
- 2.Read the explanation in the target language
- 3.Highlight words to check their pronunciation
FAQ
Yes. The main lookup feature is free and needs no login.
