half sister

American  

noun

1. sister.

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half-sister British  

noun

1. the daughter of either of one's parents by another partner

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Usage

What does half sister mean? A half sister is a sister who is related to her sibling(s) through only one parent.This typically means that they share only one biological parent (not both). For example, when a person’s parent has a daughter with another partner (who is not the person’s parent), the daughter is considered the person’s half sister.The term half brother is used in the same way. Half-sibling is a gender-neutral way of saying the same thing.In contrast, the words stepsister, stepbrother, and stepsibling refer to those who have a sibling relationship (often based on the remarriage of their parents to other partners) but who do not share a biological parent.The word half in half sister and its related terms only refers to the biological relationship. Half sisters may have close relationships with their siblings, and many people simply call their half sister their sister.Modifiers such as maternal and paternal are sometimes used to specify which biological parent the siblings have in common.Example: Over the holidays, I got together with my maternal half sister and my paternal half brother and we had a great time.

Etymology

Origin of half sister

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200

Example Sentences

The girl, the half sister of Sarah's son, was born on Christmas Day 2022, and the family became a trio the following December.

From BBC

It turned out the man she believed to be her father had died five years earlier, but she connected with two likely half sisters.

From The Wall Street Journal

A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a defamation lawsuit against Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, after her half sister accused her of spreading “disparaging, hurtful and false” statements in interviews.

From New York Times

Called Sally, she was Martha Jefferson’s half sister—and would one day play a significant role in Thomas Jefferson’s life.

From Literature

Breasia was the half sister of Dinkins’ son, and investigators have said both children were staying the night with him at the apartment where he was living with a girlfriend.

From Seattle Times