brotherhood

broth·er·hood

noun \ˈbrə-thər-ˌhu̇d\

Definition of BROTHERHOOD

1

: the quality or state of being brothers

2

: fellowship, alliance

3

: an association (as a labor union or monastic society) for a particular purpose

4

: the whole body of persons engaged in a business or profession

Examples of BROTHERHOOD

1. <they're a brotherhood of retired war veterans>
2. <a family that has been part of the brotherhood of police officers for four generations>

Origin of BROTHERHOOD

Middle English brotherhede, brotherhod, alteration of brotherrede, from Old English brōthorrǣden, from brōthor + rǣden condition — more at kindred

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to BROTHERHOOD

Synonyms

board, association, chamber, club, college, congress, consortium, council, fellowship, fraternity, guild (also gild), institute, institution, league, order, organization, society, sodality

Antonyms

ill will, malevolence, venom

Related Words

collective, commune, community, cooperative; alliance, bloc, camp, coalition, partnership; body, cadre, group; circle, clan, clique, coterie, junta, junto, klatch (also klatsch), lot, set; crew, outfit, party, squad, team; branch, chapter, local; faithful, fold, membership; sisterhood, sorority; cabal, camarilla, camorra, confederacy, conspiracy; band, gang, ring; cartel, combine, syndicate

Near Antonyms

forlornness, loneliness, lonesomeness

Rhymes with BROTHERHOOD

adulthood, arrowwood, babyhood, bachelorhood, buttonwood, candlewood, cedarwood, cottonwood, fatherhood, geezerhood, hardihood, high priesthood, Hollywood, Isherwood, knock on wood, leatherwood, likelihood, livelihood, lustihood, maidenhood, motherhood, nationhood, neighborhood, orangewood, parenthood, personhood, puppyhood, Robin Hood, sandalwood, scattergood, servanthood, sisterhood, spinsterhood, toddlerhood, to the good, tulipwood, understood, widowhood, womanhood, yellowwood, zebrawood