brotherly

adjective

broth·​er·​ly ˈbrə-t͟hər-lē 

1

: of or relating to brothers

2

: natural or becoming to brothers : affectionate

brotherly love

brotherliness noun

brotherly adverb

Synonyms

• fraternal

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

While the brotherly showdown of Travis and Jason Kelce was one of them, a then-expecting Gordon was another. —Skyler Caruso, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024

But when brotherly bragging rights are on the line, there’s no holding back. —Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 26 Nov. 2024

It’s taken six Leafs forwards out with injuries and another with a suspension for Alex to get this opportunity, a sign of how unlikely Sunday’s brotherly reunion was when the season opened six weeks ago. —James Mirtle, The Athletic, 23 Nov. 2024

Twin emperors rule Rome in an uneasy brotherly alliance. —Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

brotherly

adjective

broth·​er·​ly ˈbrət͟h-ər-lē 

1

: of or relating to brothers

2

: kindly entry 1 sense 2, affectionate

brotherliness noun