brotherly

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

Examples of brotherly in a Sentence

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.
McWorter bought 80 acres for $100 and in 1836 founded New Philadelphia, a promising city of brotherly love, in Pike County, 20 miles from the slave state of Missouri. Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026 Nyong’o recalls her scene partner’s magnetic qualities, as well as his brotherly protectiveness at their closing-night party. Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 20 May 2026 John Cena and Eric André have a tough time developing brotherly love in the trailer for the Netflix movie Little Brother. Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026 But there’s something special when the brotherly matchup is a true brother-on-brother affair, which is what will be the case when rookie defensive back Caleb Downs and the Cowboys play against wide receiver Josh Downs and the Colts. Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for brotherly

Word History

First Known Use

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

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

Cite this Entry

“Brotherly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brotherly. Accessed 29 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

brotherly

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

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