confrere
noun
con·frere ˈkän-ˌfrer 
kōⁿ-ˌ,
kän-ˈ,
kōⁿ-ˈ,
kən-ˈ variants or less commonly confrère
: colleague, comrade
Did you know?
Confrere arrived in English from Anglo-French in the 15th century, and ultimately derives from the Medieval Latin confrater, meaning "brother" or "fellow." (Frater, the root of this term, shares an ancient ancestor with our word brother.) English speakers also began using another descendant of confrater in the 15th century: confraternity, meaning "a society devoted to a religious or charitable cause." In the past, confrere was often used specifically of a fellow member of a confraternity, but these days it is used more generally.
Synonyms
- associate
- colleague
- coworker
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
many of the judge's confreres on the Fifth Circuit bench don't feel as she does on the issue
Recent Examples on the Web With the show, Tigerman and his confreres, who quickly became known as the Chicago Four (later the Chicago Seven), had made their point about Chicago eclecticism. 
Blair Kamin, chicagotribune.com, 4 June 2019 Designed by Los Angeles architecture firm Johnston Marklee, the $40 million Institute adds a significant new structure to the ensemble that is more open and buoyant than its confreres. Julie V. Iovine, WSJ, 12 Nov. 2018 And the Brazilian police quickly dismantled, through video evidence and the testimony of Lochte's three swimming confreres, the Olympic athlete's shifting fabrications. Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, 22 Aug. 2016 The audience ate it up, and the Czech players had a ball partnering their American confreres, according to Sporcl. John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 17 May 2017 Some of her confreres were intent on exposing the complex roles of photography in everyday life, especially in advertising and movies. Roberta Smith, New York Times, 11 May 2017 According to this analysis, Murray and his confreres can qualify as charlatans at best, racists at worst, and likely something in between. John Mcwhorter, National Review, 5 July 2017 See More
Blair Kamin, chicagotribune.com, 4 June 2019 Designed by Los Angeles architecture firm Johnston Marklee, the $40 million Institute adds a significant new structure to the ensemble that is more open and buoyant than its confreres. Julie V. Iovine, WSJ, 12 Nov. 2018 And the Brazilian police quickly dismantled, through video evidence and the testimony of Lochte's three swimming confreres, the Olympic athlete's shifting fabrications. Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, 22 Aug. 2016 The audience ate it up, and the Czech players had a ball partnering their American confreres, according to Sporcl. John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 17 May 2017 Some of her confreres were intent on exposing the complex roles of photography in everyday life, especially in advertising and movies. Roberta Smith, New York Times, 11 May 2017 According to this analysis, Murray and his confreres can qualify as charlatans at best, racists at worst, and likely something in between. John Mcwhorter, National Review, 5 July 2017 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French, translation of Medieval Latin confrater
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
confrere
noun
variants also confrère
as in colleague
a fellow worker many of the judge's confreres on the Fifth Circuit bench don't feel as she does on the issue Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- colleague
- associate
- peer
- coworker
- accomplice
- buddy
- pal
- collaborator
- partner
- equal
- fellow
- chum
- comrade
- ally
- confederate
- countryman
- cohort
- copartner
- compatriot
- companion
- half
- crony