confraternity

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English confraternite,^[2][3] borrowed from Old French confraternité, recorded in French from the 14th century,^[4][5][3] or directly borrowed from Medieval Latin cōnfrāternitās.^[4][5] The OED leaves open whether the French or the Latin word is the source,^[4] and Merriam-Webster takes the French form as Middle French.^[6] The Medieval Latin noun is formed, on the model of Latin frāternitās (“brotherhood”),^[7][6] from cōnfrāter (“colleague”),^[3][8] from com- (“together, with”) and frāter (“brother”), from Proto-Indo-European *bhrater- (“brother”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A brotherhood or company: the MED's first record, from before 1475, is the Godstow Register, which speaks of being fully partyners of there confraternite.^[2] The OED's first quotation, from about 1475, is in the Prologue of Partenay, which the MED cites from a manuscript of before 1500.^[4][2]

Semantic evolution

The word has meant an organised body throughout, an association of men with a common purpose or profession, such as a guild, and especially one devoted to some religious service.^[4][9] In 1755 Johnson defined it as a body of men joined for a religious purpose.^[10] Abstractly, as brotherly union or communion, it is recorded from 1680.^[4][9] It was also used loosely from 1872, for any body or clan, in Spurgeon's Treasury of David.^[4] Collins now describes especially organisations of Christian laity for religious or charitable work,^[11] and Merriam-Webster allows women in the society as well as men.^[6]

Timeline

• before 1475 – a brotherhood or company.^[2] The OED's first quotation is from about 1475.^[4]
• 1680 – brotherly union or communion.^[4][9]
• 1872 – loosely, a body or clan.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A society of people joined for a religious or charitable purpose, or in a profession; a brotherhood or guild, especially of Christian laypeople: He joined a confraternity that cared for the sick of the parish.^[6][11][4]
2. Fellowship or communion between people as brothers.^[6][4][9]
3. Loosely, a body or clan.^[4]

Word family

• confraternal
• archconfraternity

Related words

• confrere
• confrater
• fraternity
• friar
• brother

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Kurath, Hans; Kuhn, Sherman M.; Lewis, Robert E., eds. (1952–2001), Middle English Dictionary, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press; online edition ed. Frances McSparran et al. (2000–2018)
3. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (online 2024), 5th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
7. ^ Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
8. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
9. ^ a b c d Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
10. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
11. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins