Brōth’er1, n.
(brŭth’er), n.; pl. BRŌTH’ERS or BRĔTH’REN. [A.-S. brōðor, brōður, brōðer, O. Sax. & Goth. brōthar, D. broeder, Icel. bróðir, Sw. & Dan. broder, O. H. Ger. bruoder, M. H. Ger. bruoder, N. H. Ger. bruder, Lat. frater, It. fratello, equiv. to Lat. fraterculus, Pr. fraire, Fr. frère, Ir. brathair, W. brawd, pl. broder, brodyr, Corn. bredor, Manx braar, Armor. breur, breur, Lith. brolis, Lett. brālis, Slav. & Russ. brat, Pol. & Serb. brat, Bohem. bratr, Skr. bhrātar, bhrātri, O. Pers. brata, N. Pers. brāder, Gr. φάτηρ, φράτωρ, a clansman. The common plural is brothers; in the solemn style, brethren is used.]
Sense 1. He who is born of the same father and mother with another, or of one of them only. In the latter case he is called a half brother, or brother of the half blood.
Two of us in the churchyard lie, My sister and my brother. Wordsworth.
Sense 2. One related or closely united to another by some common tie or interest, as of rank, profession, membership in a society, toil, suffering, &c.; — used among judges, clergymen, monks, professors of religion, &c.
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother. Shak.
Sense 3. One that resembles another in manners or traits of character.
He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Prov. xviii. 9.
… That April morn Of this the very brother. Wordsworth.
☞ In Scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman by blood more remote than a son of the same parents, as in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. In a more general sense, brother or brethren is used for fellow-man or fellow-men.
For of whom such massacre Make they, but of their brethren; men of men? Milton.