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

More than 10 years ago, when brotherly filmmaking duo Matt and Ross Duffer first created the universe of the soon-to-be Netflix mega-hit, their bosses at the streamer came to ask about the TV show's mythology. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Dec. 2025

Following a dose of brotherly love, Wayans agreed to step down and stop feuding with 50 after getting some advice from Damon and Shawn. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 19 Dec. 2025

Post-2019 reunion, the Jonas Brothers have enjoyed steady success, charming fans with their untarnished tack for brotherly harmony. —Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025

With Malcolm in the Middle‘s imminent return, Frankie Muniz is feeling the brotherly love from his onscreen family. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 23 Oct. 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