שֵׁבֶט
shevet
Formal HebrewMeaningA large group of families who live together, like the twelve tribes of ancient Israel.
HistoryThis word first appears in the Bible. It comes from a root that also means a stick or a rod. The leader of a group would hold a special stick, called a scepter, to show his power. So, the word for the stick became the word for the group of people he led.
Example
לכל שבט בישראל היו מנהגים משלו.
Each tribe in Israel had its own customs.