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

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

Barron was referring to historical evidence that Jefferson fathered at least six children with Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman who was his late wife’s half sister.

From Seattle Times

When McCorvey was born she was led to believe that Velma was her aunt when in fact she was her half sister.

From Washington Post

That child, Maria Carter, served as the personal maid of her White half sister, Mary Anna.

From Washington Post

The witness, taking the stand without using her real name, said she was 19 when her older half sister invited her to a Kelly concert in San Antonio in 2017.

From Seattle Times