fraternal

adjective

fra·​ter·​nal frə-ˈtər-nᵊl How to pronounce fraternal (audio)
1
a
: of, relating to, or involving brothers
fraternal love
b
: of, relating to, or being a fraternity or society
a fraternal order
a fraternal chapter house
2
: derived from two ova : dizygotic
fraternal twins
3
: friendly, brotherly
There was a fraternal feeling among the troops.
fraternalism noun
fraternally adverb

Examples of fraternal in a Sentence

He belonged to a fraternal organization. There was a fraternal feeling among the troops.
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.
Belly, terror of Cousins and worst thing to ever happen to the Fisher brothers (IMO), is back for another summer of mess, chaos, and fraternal love triangles. Meg Walters, Glamour, 31 July 2025 Gateway to the South has ties to the Civil War, as the phrase was used by longtime Courier Journal editor Henry Watterson in an 1895 speech to a fraternal organization of Union veterans. Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 24 July 2025 The suit also names the NYPD, the city and a police department fraternal organization Adams used to lead as defendants. Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 17 July 2025 Born at 26 weeks, McBurney and his fraternal brothers, Alex and Sullivan, hold the Guinness World Record for the longest interval between the birth of triplets. Ramal Nasim updated July 14, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for fraternal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Medieval Latin fraternalis, from Latin fraternus, from frater brother — more at brother

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of fraternal was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fraternal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fraternal. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

fraternal

adjective
fra·​ter·​nal frə-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce fraternal (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to brothers
b
: of, relating to, or being a fraternity
2
fraternally adverb

Medical Definition

fraternal

adjective
fra·​ter·​nal frə-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce fraternal (audio)
: derived from two ova : dizygotic
fraternal twins

More from Merriam-Webster on fraternal

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