brotherhood
English
Part or all of this entry has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
Etymology
From Middle English brotherhod, from earlier brotherhede, alteration (influenced by suffixes in -hood, -head) of Early Middle English brotherrede (“brotherhood, fraternity”), from Old English brōþorrǣden (“brotherhood, fellowship”), equivalent to brother + -red (see brotherred). More at brother, -red.
Noun
brotherhood (plural brotherhoods)
- The state of being brothers or a brother.
- An association for any purpose, as a society of monks; a fraternity.
- The whole body of persons engaged in the same business, -- especially those of the same profession; as, the legal or medical brotherhood.
- Persons, and, poetically, things, of a like kind.
- A brotherhood of venerable trees. - William Wordsworth.
Synonyms
Translations
state of being brothers or a brother
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an association of any purpose, a fraternity
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body of persons engaged in same business
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persons of a like kind
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See also
External links
- brotherhood in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- brotherhood in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- brotherhood at OneLook Dictionary Search