sister

noun

sis·​ter ˈsi-stər 

1

: a female who has one or both parents in common with another

2

often capitalized

a

: a member of a women's religious order (as of nuns or deaconesses)

especially : one of a Roman Catholic congregation under simple vows

b

: a girl or woman who is a member of a Christian church

3

a

: a girl or woman regarded as a comrade

b

: a girl or woman who shares with another a common national or racial origin

especially : a Black girl or woman

4

: one that is closely similar to or associated with another

sister cities

5

chiefly British : nurse

6

a

: girl, woman

b

: person

—usually used in the phrase weak sister

7

: a member of a sorority

Example Sentences

The sisters live in the convent.

Recent Examples on the Web

Abigail Zwerner, her sister, Hannah, and their mother, Julie. —Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 21 Mar. 2023

Her sister went to the store one day and never returned home That soon changed. —Faith Karimi, CNN, 19 Mar. 2023

And Bailey herself is a protege of Queen Bey, who signed the singer-actress and her sister Halle Bailey, to her management company as the duo Chloe x Halle. —Bethonie Butler, Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2023

And, as with any queen, her domestic orbit is common knowledge: the rapper husband with the capitalist hustle and the wandering eye, their twins, the gifted but hopelessly overshadowed younger sister. —Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2023

Like the gorgeously gothic sister and antithesis to the full moon, perhaps? —Aliza Pelto, Women's Health, 17 Mar. 2023

The younger one is embarrassed and ashamed and doesn’t want to face her sister right now. —Abigail Van Buren, oregonlive, 17 Mar. 2023

Her mother had her own baking business and her sister started her own baking summer camp for kids. —Nile Fortner, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2023

Though losing her little sister has been unfathomable, Lasley said the hardest moment in the days since her death was having to tell Jones’ 8-year-old son, Kidd. —Jamie Landers, Dallas News, 17 Mar. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English suster, sister, partly from Old English sweostor and partly from Old Norse systir sister; akin to Latin soror sister, Sanskrit svasṛ

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing sister

• big sister
• half sister
• foster brother/sister
• sister chromatid
• brother/sister/comrade in arms
• little brother/sister
• sister-in-law
• sister city
• weak sister
• soul sister
• sob sister

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• big sister
• half sister
• foster brother/sister
• sister chromatid
• brother/sister/comrade in arms
• little brother/sister
• sister-in-law
• sister city
• weak sister
• soul sister
• sob sister

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Kids Definition

sister

noun

sis·​ter ˈsis-tər 

1

: a female who has one or both parents in common with another individual

2

often capitalized : a member of a religious community of women : nun

3

a

: a fellow female member of a group

b

: a girl or woman who shares a common national or racial origin with another

4

: one that is closely similar to or associated with another

sister schools

sister ships

5

chiefly British : nurse entry 1 sense 2

sisterly adjective or adverb

Medical Definition

sister

noun

sis·​ter ˈsis-tər 

chiefly British

: a head nurse in a hospital ward or clinic

broadly : nurse