brother
noun
broth·er
ˈbrə-t͟hər 
plural brothers also brethren
ˈbret͟h-rən
ˈbre-t͟hə-rən,
-t͟hərn
1
: a male who has the same parents as another or one parent in common with another
2
: one related to another by common ties or interests
3
: a fellow member
—used as a title for ministers in some evangelical denominations
4
: one of a type similar to another
5
a
: kinsman
b
: one who shares with another a common national or racial origin
especially
: a Black boy or man : soul brother
6
a
capitalized
: a member of a congregation of men not in holy orders and usually in hospital or school work
b
: a member of a men's religious order who is not preparing for or is not ready for holy orders
a lay brother
Examples of brother in a Sentence
We must support our brothers and sisters fighting overseas.
the brothers in a monastery
Recent Examples on the Web
The suit named Alex for owning the boat, Maggie for allegedly letting Paul use the boat and Paul's brother Buster for allegedly giving him his driver's license to buy the alcohol on the day Mallory was killed, according to The State.
—
Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Other wrestlers in the family include his brother Bo Dallas and uncles Barry and Kendall Windham.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Recruiting a coalition of Greeks to get Helen back from Troy, Menelaus and his brother lead a war that lasts ten years.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
The twin brothers, both of whom followed in their father's footsteps on the gridiron at Notre Dame, took their own lives one year apart.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brother
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Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Other wrestlers in the family include his brother Bo Dallas and uncles Barry and Kendall Windham.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 2025
Recruiting a coalition of Greeks to get Helen back from Troy, Menelaus and his brother lead a war that lasts ten years.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
The twin brothers, both of whom followed in their father's footsteps on the gridiron at Notre Dame, took their own lives one year apart.
—Jon Paul Hoornstra, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brother
Cite this Entry
“Brother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brother. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
brother
noun
broth·er
ˈbrət͟h-ər
plural brothers also brethren
ˈbret͟h- (ə-)rən
ˈbret͟h-ərn
1
: a male who has one or both parents in common with another
2
: a male relative
3
: a fellow member of a group
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