band 2 
(bănd)
(bănd)n.
1.
a. A group of people: a band of outlaws.
b. A group of animals.
2.
a. Anthropology A unit of social organization especially among hunter-gatherers, consisting of a usually small number of families living together cooperatively.
b. Canadian An aboriginal group officially recognized as an organized unit by the Canadian government. See Usage Note at First Nation.
3. A group of musicians who perform as an ensemble.
v. band·ed, band·ing, bands
v. tr.
To assemble or unite in a group.
v. intr.
To form a group; unite: banded together for protection.
[Early Modern English, from Middle French, troop identified by its standard, ultimately (probably via Old Provençal) from *banda, plural of Medieval Latin bandum, military standard, banner, of Germanic origin; see bhā-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]