brethren
Americanplural noun
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archaic a plural of brother
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fellow members of a religion, sect, society, etc
Related Words
See brother.
Explanation
Brethren is a fancy plural form of "brother" and is most often used in religious contexts. A monk might refer to other monks in a monastery as his brethren. Though it literally means "brothers," brethren frequently refers to members of the same religious community. You'll also see the word used more broadly today to refer to male members of fraternal organizations, or any group of people with close social ties. Thomas Paine used it to argue for democracy when he wrote, “The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.”
Vocabulary lists containing brethren
"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" by Patrick Henry (1775)
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Beowulf vocabulary
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The Monroe Doctrine (1823)
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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.
Our chickens, on the other hand, are treated abominably, packed in tightly with their germy brethren, raised in squalor, pumped with hormones, and only made clean at the end.
From Slate • Feb. 13, 2026
The Azeris of Iran eye their flourishing Turkic brethren in Azerbaijan with a degree of envy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026
Even as its Big Tech brethren collect AI equipment, Apple is sticking to its rather asset-light ways.
From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025
At the end of the block, a decadelong vendor of Grand Central Market found its own brick-and-mortar location and is, like its former food-hall brethren, greatly affected by the week’s loss of business.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2025
Forty feet tall, he towered over his brethren.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
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.
