1. plural of phratry; social divisions or clans in ancient Greek city-states, typically based on kinship or religious affiliation.
Usage: historical; anthropological
2. in anthropology, exogamous social groups found in various cultures that regulate marriage and social organization.
Usage: anthropological; comparative

Examples

• The ancient Athenians organized themselves into phratries that served both religious and political functions.
• Each phratry in classical Greece maintained its own religious rites and ceremonies.
• Membership in one of the phratries was essential for full citizenship in the polis.
• Anthropologists study phratries to understand how societies regulate kinship and marriage.
• The phratries of ancient Sparta differed significantly from those found in Athens.