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

Jake Choi as Charles Bae: Daniel's older brother who recently got kicked out of Harvard. — Tamara Fuentes, Seventeen, "Everything We Know About Yara Shahidi and Charles Melton's "The Sun is Also a Star"," 6 Feb. 2019 Designed in 1962 at the height of Italy’s post-war design renaissance, the Arco Floor Lamp was just one of 150 or so practical everyday objects designed by Italian brothers Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. — Maggie Burch, House Beautiful, "The Arco Floor Lamp Is the Perfect Solution for Rooms Without Overhead Lighting," 5 Feb. 2019 Remember when the world discovered there was a third Hemsworth brother and said world basically melted down? — Amanda Mitchell, Marie Claire, "Who Is Felicity Blunt? The Literary Agent Is Related to Both Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci," 1 Feb. 2019 Cary Stayner, Steven's older brother, was behind the Yosemite murders that rocked the small farming town of Merced, California in 1999. — Selena Barrientos, Good Housekeeping, "The True Story Behind Cary Stayner's Murders and His Brother Steven's Legacy," 25 Jan. 2019 And that’s all in the first 10 minutes! Fiver’s older brother Hazel (James McAvoy) soon emerges as the de facto leader of a group of rabbits who choose to leave their peaceful warren on the strength of Fiver’s vision. — Aja Romano, Vox, "Netflix’s new Watership Down proves the beloved children’s classic was a horror story all along," 30 Dec. 2018 Not in the eyes of Los Angeles artists and brothers Simon and Nikolai Haas, who’ve sheathed a slicer in a desktop caddy that doubles as art. — Sarah Medford, WSJ, "Maison & Objet 2019: Best in Show From the Paris Design Fair," 25 Jan. 2019 Yet shows like The Tudors and Wolf Hall depict her as cunning and scorned, a woman who seduced her dead husband’s brother, who deserves to whither and die alone as a young, virile Henry VIII chases Anne Boleyn. — Julie Kosin, Harper's BAZAAR, "The First Teaser Trailer for," 25 Jan. 2019 According to The Hill, in February 2017, Ivanka and Jared took a couple’s trip to Aspen with Ivanka’s brother Eric and his wife, Lara. — Kaylen Ralph, Teen Vogue, "Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner Are Spending Taxpayer Money on Security for Their Vacations," 14 Dec. 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.