stepsister

noun

step·​sis·​ter ˈstep-ˌsi-stər How to pronounce stepsister (audio)
: a daughter of one's stepparent by a former partner

Examples of stepsister in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Mary Shelley traveled to Switzerland, from her home in England, in the summer of 1816 with the poets Percy Bysshe Shelley and Lord Byron; her stepsister, Claire Clairmont; and Byron’s doctor, John Polidori. Thomas Page McBee, Travel + Leisure, 16 Sep. 2025 But Griffith's stepsister had introduced her to a federal program called Upward Bound. Michael Vasquez, NPR, 22 Aug. 2025 In addition to Curtis, Lindsay Lohan reprised her role as Anna with new additions Julia Butters and Sophia Hammons playing frenemies and eventual stepsisters, Harper and Lily. Michelle Lee, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025 Fresh off a recent breakup, Melissa’s (Perry) return home takes an unexpected twist when her ex-boyfriend Richard (Howery) arrives at the family gathering arm in arm with her estranged stepsister Kerry (Gomez-Preston). Giana Levy, Variety, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stepsister

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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

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Cite this Entry

“Stepsister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stepsister. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

stepsister

noun
step·​sis·​ter ˈstep-ˌsis-tər How to pronounce stepsister (audio)
: a daughter of one's stepparent by a former partner

More from Merriam-Webster on stepsister

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