fraternity

noun

fra·​ter·​ni·​ty frə-ˈtər-nə-tē How to pronounce fraternity (audio)
plural fraternities
1
: a group of people associated or formally organized for a common purpose, interest, or pleasure: such as
a
: a fraternal order
c
: a men's student organization formed chiefly for social purposes having secret rites and a name consisting of Greek letters
d
: a student organization for scholastic, professional, or extracurricular activities
a debating fraternity
2
: the quality or state of being brothers : brotherliness
3
: persons of the same class, profession, character, or tastes
the racetrack fraternity

Examples of fraternity in a Sentence

an atmosphere of fraternity and cooperation a firm believer in community service and a dedicated member of the local fraternity of Good Samaritans
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.
Since débuting in March, a company called Crave New World has been hawking its next-gen TV dinners on college campuses, even brokering a deal with fraternities and sororities: free food to fuel a social-media competition (the prize: tickets to the N.C.A.A. Final Four). Sheila Yasmin Marikar, New Yorker, 30 June 2025 Friday, March 27: This dance troupe blends traditional African styles with those from Black fraternities and sororities and contemporary forms in a show that also features storytelling, humor and audience participation. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025 The swimmers did not realize that recent heavy rains had created dangerous conditions in the water, the fraternity said. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 20 May 2025 The fraternity members called 911 and said emergency responders arrived swiftly. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for fraternity

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fraternity was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Fraternity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fraternity. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

fraternity

noun
fra·​ter·​ni·​ty frə-ˈtər-nət-ē How to pronounce fraternity (audio)
plural fraternities
1
: a social, honorary, or professional organization
especially : a social club of male college students
2

More from Merriam-Webster on fraternity

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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