brotherly

adjective

broth·​er·​ly ˈbrə-t͟hər-lē 

1

: of or relating to brothers

2

: natural or becoming to brothers : affectionate

brotherly love

brotherliness noun

brotherly adverb

Synonyms of brotherly

• fraternal

Examples of brotherly in a Sentence

He gave his sister a brotherly hug.

He received brotherly support from his fellow priests.

Recent Examples on the Web

Their brotherly bond faced challenges when 17-year-old Harper was sentenced to life in prison for taking the life of their abuser. — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026

Getz enjoys getting brotherly advice from Hoyer, who executed his own semi-rebuild in 2021 and worked under Theo Epstein on the 2012 Cubs rebuild that ignited the trend across baseball. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026

In 2023, author Ali Novak, who penned the original My Life with the Walter Boys novel, revealed to Entertainment Weekly how another famous brotherly love triangle inspired her own. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026

Torn between brotherly love and marital loyalty, Irwin discovers he’s ensnared in forces far beyond his control. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 16 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for brotherly

• motherly
• southerly

Kids Definition

brotherly

adjective

broth·​er·​ly ˈbrət͟h-ər-lē 

1

: of or relating to brothers

2

: kindly entry 1 sense 2, affectionate

brotherliness noun