brother

noun

broth·er | \ ˈbrə-t͟hər

plural brothers also brethren\ ˈbret͟h-rən

; ˈbre-t͟hə-rən , -t͟hərn \

Definition of brother

1 : a male who has the same parents as another or one parent in common with another

2 : one related to another by common ties or interests

3 : a fellow member —used as a title for ministers in some evangelical denominations

4 : one of a type similar to another

5a : kinsman

b : one who shares with another a common national or racial origin especially : soul brother

6a capitalized : a member of a congregation of men not in holy orders and usually in hospital or school work

b : a member of a men's religious order who is not preparing for or is not ready for holy orders a lay brother

Examples of brother in a Sentence

We must support our brothers and sisters fighting overseas. the brothers in a monastery

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s a large canvas print, circa 1998, of me and my two younger brothers, Lino and Lucas, in the hallway of my mother’s house. — Sarah Chaves, Glamour, "This Is Us Gets So Many Things Right—But I Think It Takes the Easy Route With Grief," 2 Apr. 2019 The first is a 2-year-old boy and the second is his 11-month-old half-brother. — Megan Stein, Country Living, "Hallmark Star Jen Lilley Is Pregnant With Her First Daughter," 21 Mar. 2019 This week, Kensington and Buckingham palaces made an announcement that shocked royal fans to their cores: Two adult brothers, both married and one with three young children, would no longer work together with their wives in the same office. — Hadley Keller, House Beautiful, "Why Is Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Household Split From Kate Middleton and Prince William Such a Big Deal?," 15 Mar. 2019 But while a move has been in the works since last fall, today’s news will still see the two brothers and their wives continue working side-by-side at Kensington Palace until Harry and Meghan’s new office is complete. — Omid Scobie, Harper's BAZAAR, "Inside Harry and Meghan’s Split from William and Kate to Start Their Own Royal Household," 15 Mar. 2019 In reality, the separation of William and Harry's households is more indicative of how the two brothers are on divergent paths within the royal family. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, "What It Really Means that Prince Harry and Prince William's Royal Households Are Splitting," 15 Mar. 2019 Both couples want to raise awareness in an area that still isn't always discussed openly, yet is very personal for the two brothers: Their mother, Princess Diana, talked openly about her mental health struggles before her early death. — Katherine J. Igoe, Marie Claire, "The Royal Family's Most Emotional, Revealing Quotes About Their Mental Health," 27 Feb. 2019 Tonight Smith, in a raw denim jacket with a shearling collar and black skinny jeans, has crafted a sermon around Old and New Testament stories of pairs of brothers: Cain and Abel, the Prodigal Son. — Rob Haskell, Vogue, "Justin and Hailey Bieber Open Up About Their Passionate, Not-Always-Easy but Absolutely All-In Romance," 7 Feb. 2019 Coffman’s father learned of the shooting after Cody’s friends came to his home just after 1 a.m. Cody was the oldest of three brothers. — Jewel Wicker, Teen Vogue, "Thousand Oaks Shooting Victims Are Being Remembered by Friends and Family," 9 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'brother.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.