brother-in-law
Americannoun
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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.
At the hospital outside General Santos, Lourdes Camia said she believed her brother-in-law, who was being treated for a heart attack, was safer outside -- despite the heat.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
While the ceremony itself remained private with reportedly just Anderson’s twin sister as a witness and brother-in-law as officiant, the absence underscored how closely the Trump family continues to be scrutinized even in personal milestones.
From Salon • May 23, 2026
His family said they were heartbroken by the loss and described him as a loving “uncle, cousin, brother-in-law, and friend to so many.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
Their worlds collide when Pooja marries Arun – Kamlesh's brother-in-law that she reared as her own son.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
“Besides,” Eleanor’s brother-in-law said, struck by a sudden idea, “how do we know she’d bring it back in good condition?”
From "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson
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.
