brotherly

1 of 2

adjective

broth·​er·​ly ˈbrə-t͟hər-lē How to pronounce brotherly (audio)
Synonyms of brotherlynext
1
: of or relating to brothers
2
: natural or becoming to brothers : affectionate
brotherly love
brotherliness noun
brotherly adverb

brotherliness

2 of 2

noun

broth·​er·​li·​ness
ˈbrə-t͟hər-lē-nəs
plural -es
: the quality or state of being brotherly

Synonyms of brotherly

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Adjective

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Examples of brotherly in a Sentence

Adjective He gave his sister a brotherly hug. He received brotherly support from his fellow priests.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
But that once sweet brotherly bond is now in tatters and has been for several years. — Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 6 July 2026 Ever the sports fans, Travis and Jason shared some brotherly bonding time while at game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, where the Boston Celtics played against the Philadelphia 76ers. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026 The continuation of the Corleone Family saga expands until Michael (Al Pacino) commits the ultimate brotherly sin, but the story’s jump back in time — in which Robert De Niro plays a younger version of Marlon Brando’s Vito — features many of the most iconic sequences in 1970s cinema. — Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 24 June 2026 When someone was picking on Ollie recently, Dreyer was proud to overhear Calvin offering big brotherly defense. — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for brotherly

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brotherly was before the 12th century

Rhymes for brotherly

See All Rhymes for brotherly

Browse Nearby Words

brotherliness
brotherly
Brother of the Christian Schools
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Cite this Entry

“Brotherly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brotherly. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

brotherly

adjective
broth·​er·​ly ˈbrət͟h-ər-lē How to pronounce brotherly (audio)
1
: of or relating to brothers
2
: kindly entry 1 sense 2, affectionate
brotherliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on brotherly

Nglish: Translation of brotherly for Spanish Speakers

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