brotherhood
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a strong feeling of friendship, support, and understanding between people.
the abstract quality of fraternal fellowship, solidarity, and mutual support among a group of people.
Simple“The long journey created a sense of brotherhood among the travelers.”
In context“The shared hardships of the campaign fostered a deep sense of brotherhood that transcended their diverse cultural backgrounds.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a group of people, often men, who join together for a specific purpose or shared belief.
an association or fraternity of people united by a common profession, religious order, or social purpose.
Simple“He joined a local brotherhood that focuses on helping the community.”
In context“The medieval brotherhood of stonemasons maintained strict secrets regarding their architectural techniques and structural calculations.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
all the people who work in the same job or business.
the collective body of individuals engaged in the same trade or profession.
Simple“The legal brotherhood gathered to discuss the new changes in the law.”
In context“Members of the medical brotherhood expressed significant concerns regarding the ethical implications of the proposed legislative reforms.”
Synonyms - 04 B2 Upper Intermediate
the state of being a brother to someone.
the literal state or relationship of being a brother.
Simple“Their brotherhood was tested when they both fell in love with the same person.”
In context“The bond of their biological brotherhood remained intact despite years of geographical separation and political disagreement.”
Synonyms
“Also, he has a sense that human brotherhood is lost, or some kind of community that had existed.” Carnegie’s father was a Chartist, seeking working-class rights.”
From Middle English brotherhod, equivalent to brother + -hood, from earlier brotherhede, alteration (influenced by suffixes in -hood, -head) of Early Middle English brotherrede (“brotherhood, fraternity”), from Old English brōþorrǣden (“brotherhood, fellowship”), equivalent to brother + -red (see brotherred). More at brother, -red. Piecewise doublet of friarhood.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.