fraternal
Americanadjective
-
of or befitting a brother or brothers; brotherly.
-
of or being a society of men associated in brotherly union, as for mutual aid or benefit.
a fraternal order; a fraternal association.
adjective
-
of or suitable to a brother; brotherly
-
of or relating to a fraternity
-
designating either or both of a pair of twins of the same or opposite sex that developed from two separate fertilized ova Compare identical
Other Word Forms
- fraternalism noun
- fraternally adverb
- interfraternal adjective
- interfraternally adverb
- nonfraternal adjective
- nonfraternally adverb
- prefraternal adjective
- prefraternally adverb
- quasi-fraternal adjective
- quasi-fraternally adverb
- unfraternal adjective
- unfraternally adverb
Etymology
Origin of fraternal
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin frātern ( us ) fraternal (derivative of frāter brother ) + -al 1
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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.
When community members aren’t arguing, the vibe is generally extremely supportive and fraternal.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
Today, our conversation begins, after fraternal embraces, with a huge burst of laughter.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
French President Emmanuel Macron has offered "the full solidarity of France and our fraternal support" to Switzerland.
From BBC • Jan. 1, 2026
After the two wed and have their first child, Agnes becomes pregnant with fraternal twins, a boy and a girl.
From Salon • Nov. 30, 2025
Like A-block, its fraternal twin, B-block was a massive structure.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
