fraternity

[fruh-tur-ni-tee]

noun

plural

fraternities 

1. a local or national organization of male students, primarily for social purposes, usually with secret initiation and rites and a name composed of two or three Greek letters.

2. a group of persons associated by or as if by ties of brotherhood.

3. any group or class of persons having common purposes, interests, etc..

   the medical fraternity.

4. an organization of laymen for religious or charitable purposes; sodality.

5. the quality of being brotherly; brotherhood.

   liberty, equality, and fraternity.

6. the relation of a brother or between brothers.

fraternity

/ frəˈtɜːnɪtɪ /

noun

1. Gender-neutral form: community. a body of people united in interests, aims, etc

   the teaching fraternity

2. brotherhood

3. a secret society joined by male students, usually functioning as a social club

Other Word Forms

• interfraternity adjective
• nonfraternity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fraternity¹

1300–50; Middle English fraternite < Latin frāternitās. See fraternal, -ity

Example Sentences

One of his first meetings after his election was with an interreligious delegation, where he praised the "Jewish roots of Christianity" and honored the "growing commitment to dialogue and fraternity" between Catholics and Muslims.

From BBC

“I could see how groups of boys, whether it’s in high school, a fraternity or a basketball team, start to assemble themselves and create sort of unspoken hierarchies,” Russell says.

From Los Angeles Times

Paul has been on a mission to try and convince the boxing fraternity of his ability since making his professional debut in 2020.

From BBC

He also joined the Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, a Latino fraternity that he said became the “backbone” of his time on the campus.

From Los Angeles Times

Essex Police says his family still "rightly want answers" and believes loyalties in the "criminal fraternity" have changed.

From BBC

Related Words

• camaraderie 
• guild 
• sorority