brother

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a male with the same parents as someone else

   my brother still lives with our parents

2. 2
   noun

   a male person who is a fellow member of a fraternity or religion or other group

   None of their brothers would betray them.

3. 3
   noun

   (Roman Catholic Church) a title given to a monk and used as form of address

   a Benedictine Brother

4. 4
   noun

   Son of the same parents as another person.

   It was a joy to snatch some brief respite, and find himself in the rectory drawing–room. Listening here was as pleasant as talking; just to watch was pleasant. The young priests who lived here wore cassocks and birettas; their faces were fine and mild, yet really strong, like the rector's face; and in their intercourse with him and his wife they seemed to be brothers.

5. 5
   noun

   A male fellow member of a religious community, church, trades union etc.

   You shall not charge interest to your brother—interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.

6. 6
   noun

   A form of address to a man.

   Brother, can you spare a dime?

7. 7
   noun

   A fellow black man.

   [Michael Jackson] went on television and said, “I don't have sex because of my religious beliefs”, and the public believed it. I know brothers was like “get the fuck out of here!”. And white people, “Michael's a special kinda guy!”

8. 8
   noun

   Somebody, usually male, connected by a common cause, situation, or affection.

   The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.

Etymology

PIE word *bʰréh₂tēr Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr Proto-Germanic *brōþēr Proto-West Germanic *brōþer Old English brōþor Middle English brother English brother Inherited from Middle English broder, brodir, brother, brothir, broþer, broðer, from Old English brōþor, brōþur, brōðer, brōður, from Proto-West Germanic *brōþer, from Proto-Germanic *brōþēr (“brother”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr (“brother”). Doublet of bhai, bru, frater, friar, pal, and vai. Cognates Cognate with Scots breeder, bridder, brither, broder, brother, bruther (“brother”), Yola brover, brower (“broth…