ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fraternal

adj.
C1 Advanced US //fɹəˈtɝnəɫ// UK //fɹɐtˈɜːnəl// fra·ter·nal

adj. describing the relationship between brothers or people who feel like brothers. It is also used for twins who are not identical because they come from two different eggs.

adj. relating to brothers or a brotherhood; characterised by brotherly affection or shared interests. In a biological context, refers to non-identical twins developed from separate ova.


SIMPLE

The two friends shared a strong fraternal bond.

CONTEXTUAL

The organisation was founded on fraternal principles to provide support and community for its members.

COMPLEX

While identical twins share nearly all their genetic material, fraternal twins are no more genetically similar than any other pair of siblings born at different times.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

PIE word *bʰréh₂tēr Borrowed from Middle French fraternel, from Medieval Latin frāternālis (“fraternal”), from Latin frāternus (“of or pertaining to a brother, fraternal”), from frāter (“brother”).

Usage

Often used in formal or legal contexts to describe organisations (fraternal orders) or in biology to distinguish twin types.

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