- 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.
Brethren, let us acknowledge our sins, and so prepare ourselves to celebrate the sacred mysteries.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2025
Tanton gravitated to science — not to the fundamentalist Evangelical United Brethren Church of his mother — and eventually studied medicine.
From Salon • Nov. 14, 2024
Calabasas 4, Grace Brethren 1: Nate Castellon had two hits for the Coyotes.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2023
When he turned 20, Mr. Richards was ordained in the Church of the Brethren.
From Washington Post • Feb. 28, 2023
That afternoon we walked uptown and a block beyond to the United Brethren Church.
From "A Long Way from Chicago" by Richard Peck
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.
