Word forms: plural brotherslanguage note: The old-fashioned form brethren is still sometimes used as the plural for meanings [sense 3] and , [sense 4].
1. countable noun [oft poss NOUN]
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?
Synonyms: male sibling More Synonyms of brother
2. See also half-brother, stepbrother
3. countable noun [usually poss NOUN]
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.
...the Cardinal and his brother bishops.
4. title noun & countable noun
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.
5. countable noun
Brothers is used in the names of some companies and shops.
...the film company Warner Brothers.
More Synonyms of brother
brother in British English
(ˈbrʌðə)
nounWord forms: pluralbrothers or archaic except when referring to fellow members of a religion, sect, society, etc brethren
1.
a male person having the same parents as another person
2. short for half-brother, stepbrother
3.
a.
a male person belonging to the same group, profession, nationality, trade union, etc, as another or others; fellow member
b.
(as modifier)
brother workers
4.
comrade; friend: used as a form of address
5. Christianity
a.
a member of a male religious order who undertakes work for the order without actually being in holy orders
b.
a lay member of a male religious order
▶ Related adjective: fraternal
exclamation
6. slang
an exclamation of amazement, disgust, surprise, disappointment, etc
Word origin
Old English brōthor; related to Old Norse brōthir, Old High German bruoder, Latin frāter, Greek phratēr, Sanskrit bhrātar
brother in American English
(ˈbrʌðər)
nounWord forms: pluralˈbrothers or ˈbrethren
1.
a man or boy as he is related to the other children of his parents
sometimes also used of animals
2.
a man or boy related to one by having a parent in common; half brother
3.
a stepbrother
4.
a foster brother
5.
a close male friend who is like a brother
6.
a fellow human being
7.
a male fellow member of the same race, church, profession, organization, etc.
fraternity brother, soul brother
8. [oftenB-]
a lay member of a men's religious order
9. Informal
any man
often used as a familiar term of address
interjection
10. Slang
used to provide emphasis, often at the beginning of one's remarks
Word origin
ME < OE brothor < IE base *bhrāter > Goth brothar, L frater, OIr brāthir, Sans bhrātar, Gr phratēr
Examples of 'brother' in a sentence
brother
Dace claimed it was in the hope of catching sight of his brother --- a charge Mikel vehemently denied.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001)
Jaymes grinned and crossed the small distance between them, hugging his younger brother warmly.
Jennifer Fallon TREASON KEEP (2001)
Falstone is in north Northumberland, not far from West Woodburn, where my brother, Christopher, now lives with his family.
Mark Burnell THE RHYTHM SECTION (2001)
In other languages
brother
British English: brother /ˈbrʌðə/ NOUN
Your brother is a boy or a man who has the same parents as you.
...my younger brother.
American English: brother
Arabic: أَخ
Brazilian Portuguese: irmão
Chinese: 兄弟 older brother
Croatian: brat
Czech: bratr
Danish: bror
Dutch: broer
European Spanish: hermano
Finnish: veli
French: frère
German: Bruder
Greek: αδερφός
Italian: fratello
Japanese: 兄弟
Korean: 오빠 female’s elder brother
Norwegian: bror
Polish: brat
European Portuguese: irmão
Romanian: frate
Russian: брат
Latin American Spanish: hermano
Swedish: bror
Thai: พี่ชายหรือน้องชาย
Turkish: erkek kardeş
Ukrainian: брат
Vietnamese: em trai younger brother
All related terms of 'brother'
Big Brother
People sometimes use Big Brother to refer to a person, government, or organization when they think it has complete control over people and is always checking what they do.
kid brother
your younger brother
lay brother
a man who has taken the vows of a religious order but is not ordained and not bound to divine office
baby brother
a younger brother
blood brother
A man's blood brother is a man he has sworn to treat as a brother, often in a ceremony which involves mixing a small amount of their blood.
half-brother
Someone's half-brother is a boy or man who has either the same mother or the same father as they have.
foster brother
a boy brought up with another child of different parents
brother-in-law
Someone's brother-in-law is the brother of their husband or wife, or the man who is married to one of their siblings.
Brother Jonathan
the United States or its people: predecessor of Uncle Sam
brother-in-arms
a fellow soldier or comrade in a shared struggle
stepbrother
Someone's stepbrother is the son of their stepfather or stepmother.
not your brother's keeper
not responsible for other people in any way
Chinese translation of 'brother'
brother
(ˈbrʌðəʳ)
n(c)
(in family) 兄弟 (xiōngdì) (个(個), gè)
(elder) 哥哥 (gēge) (个(個), gè)
(younger) 弟弟 (dìdi) (个(個), gè)
(Rel) 教友 (jiàoyǒu)
(fig) 哥们(們)儿(兒) (gēmenr)
All related terms of 'brother'
kid brother
( inf ) 弟 dì
half-brother
( same mother, different father ) 同母异(異)父的兄弟 tóng mǔ yì fù de xiōngdì [ 个(個) gè ]
brother-in-law
( older sister's husband ) 姐夫 jiěfu [ 个(個) gè ]
big brother/sister
哥哥/姐姐 gēge/jiějie
little brother/sister
弟弟/妹妹 dìdi/mèimei
older brother/sister
哥哥/姐姐 gēge/jiějie
my younger brother/sister
我的弟弟/妹妹 wǒde dìdi/mèimei
she's very close to her brother
她和她兄弟很亲(親)近 tā hé tā xiōngdi hěn qīnjìn
her brother, whom you've met, is a gifted pianist
你所见(見)过(過)的她哥哥，是位有天赋(賦)的钢(鋼)琴家 nǐ suǒ jiànguo de tā gēge, shì wèi yǒu tiānfù de gāngqínjiā
1 (noun)
Definition
a man or boy with the same parents as another person
Have you got any brothers and sisters?
Synonyms
male sibling
2 (noun)
Definition
comrade
their freedom-loving brothers
Synonyms
comrade
Unlike so many of his comrades, he survived the war.
partner
They were partners in crime.
colleague
Three of my colleagues have been made redundant.
associate
the restaurant owner's business associates
mate (informal)
A mate of mine used to play soccer for Liverpool.
pal (informal)
We've been pals for years.
companion
He has been her constant companion for the last six years.
cock (British, informal)
chum (informal)
My dear old chum, what you tell me won't go any further.
fellow member
confrère
compeer
3 (noun)
Definition
a member of a male religious order
priests and religious brothers
Synonyms
monk
saffron-robed Buddhist monks
cleric
friar
He is a travelling Franciscan friar.
monastic
religious
regular
related words
related adjectivefraternal
Additional synonyms
in the sense of associate
Definition
a companion or friend
the restaurant owner's business associates
Synonyms
partner,
friend,
ally,
colleague,
mate (informal),
companion,
comrade,
affiliate,
collaborator,
confederate,
co-worker,
workmate,
main man (slang, US),
cobber (Australian, New Zealand, old-fashioned, informal),
confrère,
compeer,
E hoa (New Zealand)
in the sense of chum
Definition
a close friend
My dear old chum, what you tell me won't go any further.
Synonyms
friend,
mate (informal),
pal (informal),
companion,
cock (British, informal),
comrade,
crony,
or blud">blood or blud (British, slang),
main man (slang, US),
cobber (Australian, New Zealand, old-fashioned, informal),