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

• 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

With that, the trio of Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas come swaggering and smiling from the wings, strolling to the tip of a catwalk together, the professional differences that splintered their brotherly union for a spell neatly compartmentalized for 2 ½-hours of polished pop digested by adoring fans. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025

The hair band, the trademark low socks, the mesmerising dribbling ability, the caring brotherly nature, the off-the-pitch antics — Jack the lad, literally. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2025

Although producers may not have necessarily been looking for a brotherly love reward stay at the mansion. —EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025

Joe, 35, and his brothers, Nick, 32, and Kevin, 37, appeared on the Tuesday, Aug. 5 episode of Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang, and chatted about their brotherly bond, as well as their experiences as parents. —Charna Flam, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025

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