ETYM Old Eng. brother, AS. brôthor; akin to OS. brothar, Dutch broeder, Old High Germ. pruodar, German bruder, Icel. brôthir, Swed. and Dan. broder, Goth. brôthar, Irish brathair.
1. A male person who is a fellow member (of a fraternity or religion of other group).
2. A male with the same parents as someone else; SYN. blood brother.
3. Term of address for those male persons engaged in the same movement; SYN. comrade.
One of several children of the same parents; brother or sister. A person's brother or sister; SYN. sib.
(Archaic) Plural of brother.
Used chiefly in formal or solemn address or in referring to the members of a profession, society, or sect
Brothers; often used to refer to monks or other men of the cloth.