brother-in-law
Americannoun
plural
brothers-in-law-
the brother of one's spouse.
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the husband of one's sister or brother.
-
the husband of one's spouse's sister or brother.
noun
-
the brother of one's wife or husband
-
the husband of one's sister
-
the husband of the sister of one's husband or wife
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.
Brother-in-law Hasem Choucair described him as "an excellent father, kind and considerate" and said "all he wanted was to look after and protect his family".
From BBC • Sep. 4, 2024
Brother-in-law Peter Walker said on Thursday that Salvation Army Major Geoff Friend died in a Johannesburg hospital on Wednesday with his wife and four sons at his side.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 21, 2016
Brother-in-law John Yun said no one in the family blamed Lee for the death of 20-year-old Ji Yun Lee.
From Washington Times • Aug. 6, 2015
Brother-in-law Jim Walton isn’t far behind, either, at $39.7 billion.
From Forbes • Dec. 15, 2014
It was a rather compact figure upon which he gazed, and the clothes greatly resembled Brother-in-law Andrew's Sunday-best.
From The Chums of Scranton High out for the Pennant by Ferguson, Donald
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
