brother
brother Lexical Profile
brother Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents; a male sibling.
"My older brother taught me how to ride a bicycle when I was six."
A male associate, comrade, or fellow member of a fraternity, trade union, or shared cause.
"He addressed his union brothers at the annual labor conference."
A male member of a Christian religious order who is not ordained as a priest, or a title given to such a member.
"The monastery was tended by a quiet community of lay brothers."
• interjection
Used to express mild annoyance, exasperation, surprise, or disbelief.
"Oh brother, I cannot believe we missed the last train home."
• verb
To treat, address, or act toward someone as a brother.
"The veteran players quickly brothered the young rookie and helped him adjust to the team."
Word Nuance & Usage
While the regular plural is 'brothers', the archaic plural 'brethren' is still used in formal, religious, or fraternal contexts to refer to fellow members of a community or order.
• Rhymes for brother
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'brōþor', of Proto-Germanic origin, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root '*bhrāter-', making it cognate with Latin 'frater', Ancient Greek 'phratēr', and Sanskrit 'bhrātṛ'.