brother

American  

[bruhth-er, bruhth-ur] / ˈbrʌð ər, ˈbrʌðˈɜr /

noun

plural

brothers,

plural

brethren

1. a male offspring having both parents in common with another offspring; a male sibling.

2. Also called half brother.  a male offspring having only one parent in common with another offspring.

3. a stepbrother.

4. 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.

5. Ecclesiastical.

   1. (often initial capital letter) a male numbered among the lay members of a religious organization that has a priesthood.

   2. a man who devotes himself to the duties of a religious order without taking holy orders, or while preparing for holy orders.

6. brothers, all members of a particular racial or ethnic group, or of the human race in general.

   All men are brothers.

7. Slang. fellow; buddy.

   Brother, can you spare a dime?

8. Informal. a term used to refer to or address a fellow Black man; soul brother.

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interjection

1. Slang. (used to express disappointment, disgust, or surprise.)

brother British  

/ ˈbrʌðə /

noun

1. a male person having the same parents as another person

2. short for half-brother stepbrother

3. 1. a male person belonging to the same group, profession, nationality, trade union, etc, as another or others; fellow member

   2. ( as modifier )

      brother workers

4. comrade; friend: used as a form of address

5. Christianity

   1. a member of a male religious order who undertakes work for the order without actually being in holy orders

   2. a lay member of a male religious order

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interjection

1. slang an exclamation of amazement, disgust, surprise, disappointment, etc

Related Words

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

• brotherless adjective
• brotherlike adjective

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

Example Sentences

The funeral director said they do not know about her personal circumstances other than that she had a twin brother who predeceased her.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

Merrill described his brother as a true missionary and “a saint” and wrote that Alan’s life was not measured in years, “but in love, sacrifice, and purpose.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

Six years ago, a judge awarded Amanda Coulson and her sister and brother nearly $19 million.

From Salon • Apr. 21, 2026

But the brother, who was barefoot, became exhausted and said he could no longer continue.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

He would tell everyone proudly that he was the only one who could handle the elephant, that his older brother could not manage her at all, and certainly not his sister.

From "An Elephant in the Garden" by Michael Morpurgo

Related Words

• relative
• twin