brother-in-law

noun

broth·​er-in-law ˈbrə-t͟hər-ən-ˌlȯ 

ˈbrət͟h-rən-, 

ˈbrə-t͟hərn-

plural brothers-in-law ˈbrə-t͟hərz-ən- 

1

: the brother of one's spouse

2

a

: the husband of one's sibling

b

: the husband of one's spouse's sibling

Examples of brother-in-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Spencer's brother-in-law Rob Misleh tells PEOPLE the family estimated there were more than a thousand people who gathered to pay their respect to the Tepes. —Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 22 Jan. 2026

In the doc, Smart's uncle Tom plays a tape recorder with that conversation in which the caller describes his brother-in-law Brian David Mitchell as living in a teepee in the mountains. —Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 21 Jan. 2026

Moua said her brother-in-law went willingly with the officers without knowing why he was being detained. —Jean Lee, NBC news, 20 Jan. 2026

Indiana law school alum Jason Cleveland, 47, who owns a law firm with his brother-in-law Chris Cassidy, 51, came to the game because of a promise. —Alie Skowronski, Miami Herald, 19 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for brother-in-law

• avoirdupois
• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada

Kids Definition

brother-in-law

noun

broth·​er-in-law

ˈbrət͟h-(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ, 

ˈbrət͟h-ərn-ˌlȯ

plural brothers-in-law

ˈbrət͟h-ər-zən-

1

: the brother of one's spouse

2

: the husband of one's sibling or of one's spouse's sibling