brother
Americannoun
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brothers,
plural
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brethren
plural (Archaic)
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a male offspring having both parents in common with another offspring; a male sibling.
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Also called half brother. a male offspring having only one parent in common with another offspring.
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a stepbrother.
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a male numbered among the same kinship group, nationality, ethnicity, profession, etc., as another; an associate; a fellow member, fellow countryman, fellow man, etc..
a fraternity brother.
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Ecclesiastical.
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(often initial capital letter) a male numbered among the lay members of a religious organization that has a priesthood.
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a man who devotes himself to the duties of a religious order without taking holy orders, or while preparing for holy orders.
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brothers, all members of a particular racial or ethnic group, or of the human race in general.
All men are brothers.
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Brother, can you spare a dime?
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Informal. a term used to refer to or address a fellow Black man; soul brother.
interjection
noun
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a male person having the same parents as another person
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short for half-brother stepbrother
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a male person belonging to the same group, profession, nationality, trade union, etc, as another or others; fellow member
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( as modifier )
brother workers
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comrade; friend: used as a form of address
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Christianity
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a member of a male religious order who undertakes work for the order without actually being in holy orders
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a lay member of a male religious order
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interjection
Synonym Usage
Brothers, brethren are plurals of brother. Brothers are kinsmen, sons of the same parents: My mother lives with my brothers. Brethren, now archaic in the foregoing sense, is used of male members of a congregation or of a fraternal organization: The brethren will meet at the church.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of brother
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English brōthor; cognate with Dutch broeder, German Bruder, Old Norse brōthir, Gothic brothar, Sanskrit bhrātṛ, Greek phrā́tēr, Latin frāter, Old Irish bráthair, Old Church Slavonic bratrŭ
Vocabulary lists containing brother
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.
See Examples For:
However, I sense a slight from the older brother towards my husband, intentionally or unintentionally.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
We soon moved to a West Los Angeles apartment near Dad’s brother, Uncle Lefty.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Oldest brother Thomas is the baseball coach and athletic director at Calabasas.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
If it fails to meet its annual production quota, it will be forced to sell its 49% stake in Miramax, the film company founded by disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and his brother Bob.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
C. Chauncey Burr, editor of the Nineteenth Century Review, and his brother, Heman, fell into this category of enraged skeptics.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
After bidding a hearty olé to my literary brethren, I reach Café Gijón, outside the bounds of Las Letras, but not its spirit.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
Resident birds show more smarts than migratory ones, and city birds are sharper than their country brethren.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 22, 2026
Although many crashed or collided with robot brethren, Lightning avoided a serious mishap and crossed the finish line in 50 minutes, 26 seconds.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 20, 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
He bade his brethren: “Wait and be ready, for the Lord shall come.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
Both brothers appear intent on ensuring their interests are represented regarding their future inheritance, but where do the parents’ wishes and dreams figure in this picture?
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
The singer said much of Twelve Stops and Home was made at the Sussex home of brothers and bandmates Kevin and Ciaran Jeremiah.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
The brothers behind suburban New York tire retailer Mavis spent decades gobbling up smaller rivals culminating in their biggest deal, the acquisition of the best-known name in repairs: Midas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2026
The plea agreements call for the brothers to pay at least $581,616 in restitution for tax losses that include years before the tee-time business began.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026
When we studied the Old West, everybody had to do a special report on A Cowboy’s Life or Famous Indian Chiefs or Notorious Outlaw Families like the James brothers.
From "The Best School Year Ever" by Barbara Robinson
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.
