fraternal

adjective

fra·​ter·​nal frə-ˈtər-nᵊl How to pronounce fraternal (audio)
Synonyms of fraternalnext
1
a
: of, relating to, or involving brothers
fraternal love
b
: of, relating to, or being a fraternity or society
a fraternal order
a fraternal chapter house
2
: derived from two ova : dizygotic
fraternal twins
3
: friendly, brotherly
There was a fraternal feeling among the troops.
fraternalism noun
fraternally adverb

Examples of fraternal in a Sentence

He belonged to a fraternal organization. There was a fraternal feeling among the troops.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Sons of the Desert takes its name from one of Laurel and Hardy’s best films, in which the boys lie to their wives and sneak off to the titular fraternal organization’s annual convention. Donald Liebenson, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026 Guarin’s fraternal great-grandfather was a legendary attorney from Peoria who tried cases with circuit lawyer Abraham Lincoln and who settled the French claims to land that allowed the city to grow, according to the book. Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 Posted by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, the video shows Field Marshal Asim Munir descending from a plane in military uniform and receiving a fraternal hug from him. ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026 On Sunday, April 5, the 57-year-old musician shared a photo of herself with her fraternal 14-year-old twins, Moroccan and Monroe. Juliana Ukiomogbe, InStyle, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fraternal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin fraternalis, from Latin fraternus, from frater brother — more at brother

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fraternal was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fraternal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fraternal. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

fraternal

adjective
fra·​ter·​nal frə-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce fraternal (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to brothers
b
: of, relating to, or being a fraternity
2
fraternally adverb

Medical Definition

fraternal

adjective
fra·​ter·​nal frə-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce fraternal (audio)
: derived from two ova : dizygotic
fraternal twins

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