brother English · revision 3445

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Beowulf)|origins=ine-pro *bʰréh₂tēr}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈbrʌð.ə/, US /ˈbrʌð.ɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|brother]], [[inh|ang|brōþor]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) from [[gem-pro|*brōþēr]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Its cognates include [[ofs|brōther]], [[osx|brōthar]], [[nl|broeder]], [[de|Bruder]] and [[non|bróðir]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966) and Gothic has brōþar.^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) It is from [[ine-pro|*bʰréh₂tēr|alt=*bhrāter-]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Hoad 1986) the source also of Sanskrit bhrā́tṛ, Latin [[m|la|frāter]], Greek [[m|grc|φράτηρ|tr=phrátēr|t=member of a clan]], Old Irish bráthair and Old Church Slavonic bratrŭ.^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)^(Klein 1966) Barnhart calls it one of the classic words of Indo-European etymology.^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline notes that Greek [[m|grc|ἀδελφός|tr=adelphós]] became the main word for “brother” as ''phrátēr'' came to mean a member of the same tribe, and that Spanish [[m|es|hermano]] is from Latin [[m|la|germānus|t=full brother]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A son of the same parents: Old English ''brōþor'', about 725, in ''Beowulf'',^(Barnhart 1988) and in Middle English before 1121, in the ''Peterborough Chronicle''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A man of the same ancestry is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and a fellow member of a society or guild from 1389.^(HTOED) A member of a religious order, a friar, is from about 1500.^(Etymonline) The plural was variously ''brether'', ''brethren'' and ''brothers'' in Middle English;^(OED 1989) ''brethren'' survives for fellow members of a religion or society.^(SOED 2002) As a familiar term of address between men it is from 1912 in American slang, and as a term among Black Americans by 1973.^(Etymonline) The verb “to treat as a brother” is from 1573.^(OED 1989)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''brōþor'' (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1389 – a member of a society.^(HTOED)

+ * late 14th century – a kinsman.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1500 – a friar.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1573 – verb, to treat as a brother.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1912 – a term of address.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A male who has the same parents as another, or one parent in common.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A man who shares a common ancestry, allegiance or purpose with others; a fellow member of a group.^(AHD)^(HTOED)

+ # ''(often Brother)'' A member of a male religious order, such as a [[friar]] or [[monk]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(slang)'' A familiar term of address for a man.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(rare)'' To treat or address as a brother.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[brotherless]]

+ * [[brotherlike]]

+ * [[unbrothered]]

+ * [[brotherhood]]

+ * [[brotherly]]

+ * [[brother-in-law]]

+ * [[blood brother]]

+ * [[Brother Jonathan]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[friar]]

+ * [[fraternal]]

+ * [[fraternity]]

+ * [[brethren]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}