brotherhood
pronunciation
How to pronounce brotherhood in British English:
UK [ˈbrʌðəhʊd]
How to pronounce brotherhood in American English:
US [ˈbrʌðərhʊd]
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- Noun:
- the kinship relation between a male offspring and the siblings
- people engaged in a particular occupation
- the feeling that men should treat one another like brothers
- an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer
Word Origin
- brotherhood (n.)
- equivalent of Old English broþerrede "fellowship, brotherhood," with ending as in kindred; in early Middle English the word was brotherhede with ending as in maidenhead. The modern word, with -hood, is from 15c. Originally "relationship of a brother," also "friendly companionship." Concrete sense of "an association, a fraternity" is from mid-14c. in the Middle English word (later also "labor union," 1880s). Old English also had broðorscipe "brothership," broðorsibb "kinship of brothers." Oh, the Protestants hate the Catholics, And the Catholics hate the Protestants, And the Hindus hate the Muslims, And everybody hates the Jews. [Tom Lehrer, "National Brotherhood Week" lyrics, 1965]
Synonym
Example
- 1. The brotherhood lacks people with experience of governing .
- 2. Fear of the muslim brotherhood is anyway overdone .
- 3. An islamist party close to the muslim brotherhood took 17 .
- 4. Could the muslim brotherhood have somehow succeeded in gaining a foothold here ?
- 5. In fact , hamas is an offshoot of the muslim brotherhood .