- plural of brother.
brethren
Americanplural noun
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archaic a plural of brother
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fellow members of a religion, sect, society, etc
Synonym Usage
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.
Television genealogists may point out that Colbert’s branch of the talk show family tree is still represented by his Comedy Central brethren on “The Daily Show,” including Stewart, and John Oliver on “Last Week Tonight.”
From Salon ● May 21, 2026
The U.S. players have made it abundantly clear that they respect their Canadian brethren.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 27, 2026
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
These days, Greenlanders are shocked by how few words their brethren can speak in their ancestral tongue—and by the poverty of Native Americans in Alaska.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 24, 2026
“The envy and hatred of my brethren has lately risen to a rage,” Rush explained.
From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy
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.
