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brethren

noun
/ˈbɹɛðɹən/

Etymology

From Early Modern English brethren, plural of brother, from Middle English brethren, from Middle English brethere, brether + -en (plural ending). Ultimately from Old English brōþor, brōþru (“brothers, brethren”), influenced by Old English brēþer, dative singular of brōþor (“brother”). Equivalent to brother + -en (plural ending). Compare German Brüder (“brothers, brethren”). More at brother. The vowel change (from o to e) is called umlaut.

  1. derived from brōþor
  2. derived from brethere
  3. inherited from brethren

Definitions

  1. plural of brother

    • The Introit over, the service is interrupted for the feast. Contrary to the festive fashion of the nobles, who all sit with their swords beside them, here, in this feast of brethren, are no arms, not even a knife.

  2. kinsmen

  3. The body of members, especially of a fraternal, religious or military order.

  4. ›+ 3 more definitions

    1. Of or akin to

      Of or akin to; related; like

      • The principle still sounds good, but our astronomical knowledge is limited, and we haven't yet discovered any such brethren solar systems.

    2. Members of any congregation in the Anabaptist tradition of the Schwarzenau Brethren,…

      Members of any congregation in the Anabaptist tradition of the Schwarzenau Brethren, practicing credobaptism and committed to nonresistance and nonviolence, some of whom may wear plain dress and shun modern technology.

    3. Members of the Church of the Brethren.

The neighborhood

Derived

blood brethren, bredrin, Brethren, brethren in arms, brethren-in-law, co-brethren, half brethren, half-brethren, lay brethren, Social Brethren, step-brethren, stepbrethren, United Brethren, uterine brethren, womb-brethren, River Brethren

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for brethren. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA