fraternity

noun

fra·​ter·​ni·​ty frə-ˈtər-nə-tē 

plural fraternities

1

: a group of people associated or formally organized for a common purpose, interest, or pleasure: such as

a

: a fraternal order

b

: guild sense 1

c

: a men's student organization formed chiefly for social purposes having secret rites and a name consisting of Greek letters

d

: a student organization for scholastic, professional, or extracurricular activities

a debating fraternity

2

: the quality or state of being brothers : brotherliness

3

: persons of the same class, profession, character, or tastes

the racetrack fraternity

Synonyms

• association
• board
• brotherhood
• chamber
• club
• college
• congress
• consortium
• council
• fellowship
• guild
• gild
• institute
• institution
• league
• order
• organization
• society
• sodality

Examples of fraternity in a Sentence

an atmosphere of fraternity and cooperation

a firm believer in community service and a dedicated member of the local fraternity of Good Samaritans

Recent Examples on the Web

The fraternity brothers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill who defended the American flag during spring semester campus unrest are getting their party. —Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 2 Sep. 2024

And a group of fraternity members from UNC-Chapel Hill who held up the American flag during a pro-Palestinian campus protest appeared at the convention Wednesday. —Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 19 July 2024

Left behind Their home is full of flowers now, and memories — the couch Jordan liked to sleep on, the gray kitchen floor where Jordan used to practice his fraternity hopping, or stepping, and the wide, sparkling grin in photos of his high school graduation. —Darcie Moran, Detroit Free Press, 14 July 2024

These fraternities and sororities were founded after Black people were excluded from white Greek groups. —Char Adams, NBC News, 14 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing fraternity

• inter-fraternity

Kids Definition

fraternity

noun

fra·​ter·​ni·​ty frə-ˈtər-nət-ē 

plural fraternities

1

: a social, honorary, or professional organization

especially : a social club of male college students

2

: brotherhood sense 1, brotherliness