Adjacent Words

Brother definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BROTHER, n. plu. brothers or brethren. [L. frater.]
1. A human male born of the same father and mother. A male by one of the parents only is called a half-brother, or brother of the half blood.
2. Any one closely united; an associate; as a band of brothers.
3. One that resembles another in manners.
He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Proverbs 18.
In scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman by blood more remote that a son of the same parents; as in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. Persons of the same profession call each other brother, as judges, clergymen, professors of religion, members of societies united in a common cause, monks and the like.
Kings give to each other the title of brother.address their congregations by the title of brethren. In a more general sense, brother or brethren is used for man in general; all men being children of the same primitive ancestors, and forming one race of beings.
Brother-german is a brother by the father's and mother's side, in contradistinction to a uterine brother, or by the mother only.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a male with the same parents as someone else; "my brother still lives with our parents" [syn: brother, blood brother] [ant: sis, sister]
2: a male person who is a fellow member (of a fraternity or religion or other group); "none of his brothers would betray him"
3: a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities [syn: buddy, brother, chum, crony, pal, sidekick]
4: used as a term of address for those male persons engaged in the same movement; "Greetings, comrade!" [syn: brother, comrade]
5: (Roman Catholic Church) a title given to a monk and used as form of address; "a Benedictine Brother"

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural brothers; also brethren) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English br?thor; akin to Old High German bruodor brother, Latin frater, Greek phrat?r member of the same clan Date: before 12th century 1. a male who has the same parents as another or one parent in common with another 2. one related to another by common ties or interests 3. a fellow member — used as a title for ministers in some evangelical denominations 4. one of a type similar to another 5. a. kinsman b. one who shares with another a common national or racial origin; especially soul brother 6. a. capitalized a member of a congregation of men not in holy orders and usually in hospital or school work b. a member of a men's religious order who is not preparing for or is not ready for holy orders <a lay brother>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents. 2 a (often as a form of address) a close male friend or associate. b a male fellow member of a trade union etc. 3 (pl. also brethren) a a member of a male religious order, esp. a monk. b a fellow member of the Christian Church, a religion, or (formerly) a guild etc. 4 a fellow human being. Phrases and idioms: brother german see GERMAN. brother-in-law (pl. brothers-in-law) 1 the brother of one's wife or husband. 2 the husband of one's sister. 3 the husband of one's sister-in-law. brother uterine see UTERINE 2. Derivatives: brotherless adj. brotherly adj. & adv. brotherliness n. Etymology: OE brothor f. Gmc

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Brother Broth"er (br[u^][th]"[~e]r), n.; pl. Brothers (br[u^][th]"[~e]rz) or Brethren (br[e^][th]"r[e^]n). See Brethren. [OE. brother, AS. br[=o][eth]or; akin to OS. brothar, D. broeder, OHG. pruodar, G. bruder, Icel. br[=o][eth]ir, Sw. & Dan. broder, Goth. br[=o][thorn]ar, Ir. brathair, W. brawd, pl. brodyr, Lith. brolis, Lett. brahlis, Russ. brat', Pol. & Serv. brat, OSlav. bratr[u^], L. frater, Skr. bhr[=a]t[.r], Zend bratar brother, Gr. fra`thr, fra`twr, a clansman. The common plural is Brothers; in the solemn style, Brethren, OE. pl. brether, bretheren, AS. dat. sing. br[=e][eth]er, nom. pl. br[=o][eth]or, br[=o][eth]ru. [root]258. Cf. Friar, Fraternal.] 1. A male person who has the same father and mother with another person, or who has one of them only. In the latter case he is more definitely called a half brother, or brother of the half blood. Two of us in the churchyard lie, My sister and my brother. --Wordsworth. 2. One related or closely united to another by some common tie or interest, as of rank, profession, membership in a society, toil, suffering, etc.; -- used among judges, clergymen, monks, physicians, lawyers, professors of religion, etc. ``A brother of your order.'' --Shak. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother. --Shak. 3. One who, or that which, resembles another in distinctive qualities or traits of character. He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. --Prov. xviii. 9. That April morn Of this the very brother. --Wordsworth. Note: In Scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman by blood more remote than a son of the same parents, as in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. In a more general sense, brother or brethren is used for fellow-man or fellow-men. For of whom such massacre Make they but of their brethren, men of men? --Milton. Brother Jonathan, a humorous designation for the people of the United States collectively. The phrase is said to have originated from Washington's referring to the patriotic Jonathan Trumbull, governor of Connecticut, as ``Brother Jonathan.'' Blood brother. See under Blood.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Brother Broth"er, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Brothered.] To make a brother of; to call or treat as a brother; to admit to a brotherhood. --Sir W. Scott.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(brothers) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. Note: The old-fashioned form 'brethren' is still sometimes used as the plural for meanings 2 and 3. 1. Your brother is a boy or a man who has the same parents as you. Oh, so you're Peter's younger brother... Have you got any brothers and sisters? N-COUNT: oft poss N see also half-brother, stepbrother 2. You can describe a man as your brother if he belongs to the same race, religion, country, profession, or trade union as you, or if he has similar ideas to you. He told reporters he'd come to be with his Latvian brothers. N-COUNT: usu poss N 3. Brother is a title given to a man who belongs to a religious community such as a monastery. ...Brother Otto. ...the Christian Brothers community which owns the castle. N-TITLE; N-COUNT; N-VOC 4. Brothers is used in the names of some companies and shops. ...the film company Warner Brothers... N-IN-NAMES

Easton's Bible Dictionary

(1.) In the natural and common sense (Matt. 1:2; Luke 3:1, 19).

(2.) A near relation, a cousin (Gen. 13:8; 14:16; Matt. 12:46; John 7:3; Acts 1:14; Gal. 1:19).

(3.) Simply a fellow-countryman (Matt. 5:47; Acts 3:22; Heb. 7:5).

(4.) A disciple or follower (Matt. 25:40; Heb. 2:11, 12).

(5.) One of the same faith (Amos 1:9; Acts 9:30; 11:29; 1 Cor. 5:11); whence the early disciples of our Lord were known to each other as brethren.

(6.) A colleague in office (Ezra 3:2; 1 Cor. 1:1; 2 Cor. 1:1).

(7.) A fellow-man (Gen. 9:5; 19:7; Matt. 5:22, 23, 24; 7:5; Heb. 2:17).

(8.) One beloved or closely united with another in affection (2 Sam. 1:26; Acts 6:3; 1 Thess. 5:1). Brethren of Jesus (Matt. 1:25; 12:46, 50: Mark 3:31, 32; Gal. 1:19; 1 Cor. 9:5, etc.) were probably the younger children of Joseph and Mary. Some have supposed that they may have been the children of Joseph by a former marriage, and others that they were the children of Mary, the Virgin's sister, and wife of Cleophas. The first interpretation, however, is the most natural.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bruth'-er ('ach; adelphos = kin by birth, from the same parents or parent): Used extensively in both Old Testament and New Testament of other relations and relationships, and expanding under Christ's teaching to include the universal brotherhood of man. Chiefly employed in the natural sense, as of Cain and Abel (Ge 4:8); of Joseph and his brethren (Ge 42:3); of Peter and Andrew, of James and John (Mt 10:2). Of other relationships:

(1) Abram's nephew, Lot, is termed "brother" (Ge 14:14);

(2) Moses' fellow-countrymen are "brethren" (Ex 2:11; Ac 3:22; compare Heb 7:5);

(3) a member of the same tribe (2Sa 19:12);

(4) an ally (Am 1:9), or an allied or cognate people (Nu 20:14);

(5) used of common discipleship or the kinship of humanity (Mt 23:8);

(6) of moral likeness or kinship (Pr 18:9);

(7) of friends (Job 6:15);

(8) an equal in rank or office (1Ki 9:13);

(9) one of the same faith (Ac 11:29; 1Co 5:11);

(10) a favorite oriental metaphor used to express likeness or similarity (Job 30:29, "I am a brother to jackals");

(11) a fellow-priest or office-bearer (Ezr 3:2); Paul called Sosthenes "brother" (1Co 1:1) and Timothy his spiritual son and associate (2Co 1:1);

(12) a brother-man, any member of the human family (Mt 7:3-5; Heb 2:17; 8:11; 1 Joh 2:9; 4:20);

(13) signifies spiritual kinship (Mat 12:50);

(14) a term adopted by the early disciples and Christians to express their fraternal love for each other in Christ, and universally adopted as the language of love and brotherhood in His kingdom in all subsequent time (2Pe 3:15; Col 4:7,9,15).

The growing conception of mankind as a brotherhood is the outcome of this Christian view of believers as a household, a family (Eph 2:19; 3:15; compare Ac 17:26). Jesus has made "neighbor" equivalent to "brother," and the sense of fraternal affection and obligation essential to vital Christianity, and coextensive with the world. The rabbis distinguished between "brother" and "neighbor," applying "brother" to Israelites by blood, "neighbor" to proselytes, but allowing neither title to the Gentiles. Christ and the apostles gave the name "brother" to all Christians, and "neighbor" to all the world (1Co 5:11; Lu 10:29 ff). The missionary passion and aggressiveness of the Christian church is the natural product of this Christian conception of man's true relation to man.

See also FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS.

Dwight M. Pratt

Moby Thesaurus

Greek, abbacomes, abbot, acquaintance, adjunct, advocate, affiliate, ally, alter ego, analogon, analogue, ascetic, associate, aunt, auntie, backer, beadsman, bedfellow, belonger, best friend, blood brother, bosom friend, brethren, brother-in-arms, bub, bubba, bud, buddy, caloyer, card-carrier, card-carrying member, cardholder, casual acquaintance, catechumen, celibate, cenobite, charter member, chum, church member, churchman, churchwoman, close acquaintance, close copy, close friend, close match, clubber, clubman, clubwoman, coadjutor, cognate, cohort, colleague, committeeman, communicant, companion, compatriot, compeer, complement, comrade, confederate, confidant, confidante, confrere, congenator, congener, consociate, consort, conventioneer, conventioner, conventionist, conventual, conventual prior, coordinate, correlate, correlative, correspondent, counterpart, country cousin, cousin, cousin once removed, cousin twice removed, crony, daughter, dues-paying member, enlistee, enrollee, equivalent, familiar, father, favorer, fellow, fellow creature, fellow member, fellowman, first cousin, foster brother, frater, fraternity man, friar, friend, grand prior, grandnephew, grandniece, granduncle, great-aunt, great-uncle, guildsman, half brother, hermit, hieromonach, honorary member, image, initiate, inseparable friend, insider, intimate, joiner, kid brother, kin, kindred spirit, kinsman, laic, lay abbot, lay brother, lay sister, layman, laywoman, life member, like, likeness, lover, mate, member, mendicant, monastic, monk, mother, near duplicate, neighbor, nephew, niece, nuncle, nunks, nunky, obverse, one of us, other self, pal, palmer, parallel, parishioner, partisan, pendant, pickup, picture, pilgrim, pillar saint, pillarist, pledge, prior, reciprocal, relation, relative, religieux, religious, repository, second cousin, second self, secular, sibling, similitude, simulacrum, sis, sissy, sister, sister-german, sistern, socius, son, sorority girl, sorority woman, soul mate, stepbrother, stepsister, stylite, such, suchlike, supporter, sympathizer, tally, the like of, the likes of, twin, unc, uncle, uncs, uterine brother, well-wisher