brother-in-law
Americannoun
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brothers-in-law
plural
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the brother of one's spouse.
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the husband of one's sister or brother.
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the husband of one's spouse's sister or brother.
noun
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the brother of one's wife or husband
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the husband of one's sister
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the husband of the sister of one's husband or wife
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of brother-in-law
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English brother in law(e); see origin at brother, in, law 1; from Middle English in-lawe “in law,” i.e., “a person within the regulation and protection of the law,” based on the prohibition by Roman civil law and, later, Christian canon law, of marriages within four degrees of consanguinity, i.e., up to and including first cousins
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“One of Us” is about your brother-in-law, which made me realize how few people write songs about their in-laws.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
When Min came down with Stage 4 colorectal cancer a few years ago, his sister and brother-in-law were a constant presence at his side.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
He and his brother-in-law, Lewis Baker, had been riding their motorbikes at high speed when they both crashed into a car.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
Part of the problem for the palace is that Spencer isn’t just any old brother-in-law but an aristocrat deeply embedded into the royal fabric.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Mollie’s brother-in-law, Bill Smith, was one of the first to wonder if there was something curious about Lizzie’s death, coming so soon after the murders of Anna and Whitehorn.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
During the Civil War her brother George was a surgeon at a Confederate hospital, while three half-brothers and four brothers-in-law all supported the Confederacy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026
Mason is survived by his wife, Winifred Wilson, daughter Danielle, nephew John Leonard, niece Michelle Leonard and his brothers-in-law, Sloan Wilson and Walton Wilson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026
Urfan's Pakistan-based family have taken Jhelum police to court twice, accusing them of detaining several of Urfan's brothers and brothers-in-law illegally.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2023
While he was incarcerated, Theodora divorced him; she and their seven kids moved in with one of his brothers-in-law.
From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2023
And then one of Gus’s brothers-in-law brought up a boom box and they played this song Gus had picked out—a sad and quiet song by The Hectic Glow called “The New Partner.”
From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
