brotherhood
noun
broth·er·hood ˈbrə-t͟hər-ˌhu̇d 
1
: the quality or state of being brothers
2
: fellowship, alliance
3
: an association (such as a labor union or monastic society) for a particular purpose
4
: the whole body of persons engaged in a business or profession
Synonyms
- association
- board
- chamber
- club
- college
- congress
- consortium
- council
- fellowship
- fraternity
- guild
- gild
- institute
- institution
- league
- order
- organization
- society
- sodality
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
they're a brotherhood of retired war veterans a family that has been part of the brotherhood of police officers for four generations
Recent Examples on the Web Multiple Tony-nominee Jeremy Pope holds the screen with fierce defiance, scraping out a place in a brotherhood that doesn't want him, while Gabrielle Union steers the movie into unsettling territory as a disapproving mother. 
Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2022 But nearly 10 years ago, these three men learned this brotherhood of the ABA was suffering. The Indianapolis Star, 15 July 2022 The parents of a mass shooting victim flew down from Buffalo, advising new members of the terrible brotherhood created by yet another rampage. Karin Brulliard, Anchorage Daily News, 6 June 2022 Russian place names are gone – Moscow Street is now Mariupol Street – Ukrainian is preferred, and an old notion of Russian brotherhood has vanished. Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug. 2022 His Oscar-winning Dances with Wolves shamelessly pandered to the American Indian Wars with a hoary brotherhood theme. Armond White, National Review, 12 Aug. 2022 The parents of a mass shooting victim flew down from Buffalo, advising new members of the terrible brotherhood created by yet another rampage. Karin Brulliard, Anchorage Daily News, 6 June 2022 The oldest of seven brothers, Mr. Sarr grew up in Diourbel, a small and dusty city in the center of Senegal, not far from Touba, the center of the dominant Sufi Muslim brotherhood called the Mourides. New York Times, 22 July 2022 And among the Detroit high school basketball brotherhood, there was Will Robinson. Michael Brunker, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2022 See More
Joshua Rothkopf, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2022 But nearly 10 years ago, these three men learned this brotherhood of the ABA was suffering. The Indianapolis Star, 15 July 2022 The parents of a mass shooting victim flew down from Buffalo, advising new members of the terrible brotherhood created by yet another rampage. Karin Brulliard, Anchorage Daily News, 6 June 2022 Russian place names are gone – Moscow Street is now Mariupol Street – Ukrainian is preferred, and an old notion of Russian brotherhood has vanished. Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug. 2022 His Oscar-winning Dances with Wolves shamelessly pandered to the American Indian Wars with a hoary brotherhood theme. Armond White, National Review, 12 Aug. 2022 The parents of a mass shooting victim flew down from Buffalo, advising new members of the terrible brotherhood created by yet another rampage. Karin Brulliard, Anchorage Daily News, 6 June 2022 The oldest of seven brothers, Mr. Sarr grew up in Diourbel, a small and dusty city in the center of Senegal, not far from Touba, the center of the dominant Sufi Muslim brotherhood called the Mourides. New York Times, 22 July 2022 And among the Detroit high school basketball brotherhood, there was Will Robinson. Michael Brunker, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English brotherhede, brotherhod, alteration of brotherrede, from Old English brōthorrǣden, from brōthor + rǣden condition — more at kindred entry 2
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
brotherhood
noun
broth·er·hood ˈbrə-t͟hər-ˌhu̇d
1
: the state of being a brother
2
: a group of people who are engaged in the same business or have a similar interest
3
: feelings of friendship, support, and understanding between people
brotherhood
noun
1
as in fraternity
a group of persons formally joined together for some common interest they're a brotherhood of retired war veterans Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fraternity
- organization
- association
- society
- institution
- institute
- chamber
- council
- collective
- group
- board
- guild
- league
- commune
- community
- college
- consortium
- club
- fellowship
- chapter
- team
- cadre
- congress
- gild
- sodality
- alliance
- partnership
- coalition
- cooperative
- clan
- order
- sisterhood
- circle
- squad
- clique
- confederacy
- crew
- camp
- party
- bloc
- membership
- body
- sorority
- coterie
- branch
- local
- junta
- band
- faithful
- gang
- cabal
- conspiracy
- fold
- cartel
- syndicate
- junto
- set
- outfit
- klatch
- klatsch
- ring
- combine
- lot
- camarilla
- camorra
2
as in corps
the body of people in a profession or field of activity a family that has been part of the brotherhood of police officers for four generations Synonyms & Similar Words
- fraternity
- corps
- profession
- community
- association
- society
- federation
- vocation
- fellowship
- sodality
- organization
- guild
- calling
- club
- gild
3
as in friendship
the feeling of closeness and friendship that exists between companions the brotherhood that existed between the medical missionaries and the villagers they served Synonyms & Similar Words
- friendship
- community
- comradeship
- camaraderie
- society
- fellowship
- comradery
- generosity
- companionship
- company
- intimacy
- harmony
- amity
- compassion
- familiarity
- empathy
- goodwill
- cordiality
- affinity
- friendliness
- comity
- concord
- benevolence
- rapport
- civility
- sympathy
- kindliness
- devotion
- love
- affection
- charity
- inseparability
- nearness
- chumminess
- fondness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loneliness
- lonesomeness
- forlornness
4
as in amity
kindly concern, interest, or support in a display of brotherhood, other writers rushed to the defense of the jailed journalist Synonyms & Similar Words
- friendship
- amity
- neighborliness
- generosity
- cordiality
- comradeship
- goodwill
- friendliness
- benevolence
- camaraderie
- fellowship
- community
- kindliness
- harmony
- kindness
- good-fellowship
- charity
- bonhomie
- companionship
- collegiality
- gemütlichkeit
- cordialness
- tolerance
- comity
- concord
- rapprochement
- communion
- rapport
- civility
- empathy
- sympathy
- affinity
- altruism
- selflessness
- unselfishness
- company
- philanthropy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- hatred
- malevolence
- intolerance
- hostility
- venom
- antagonism
- enmity
- ill will
- animosity
- malice
- hate
- antipathy
- rancor
- disfavor
- belligerency
- incivility
- quarrelsomeness
- querulousness