Skip to main content
brother

brother

1.0
A man who is a close friend and feels like family
  • noun
  • /ˈbrʌðər/
  • Informal
translation icon : hermano
  • He called me his brother, highlighting the strong bond we formed while serving together.
  • Muslim brother
  • Arab brothers

You're fighting for your brothers left and right.

Autoplay Next

Examples

Synonyms

buddy
vsbrother
  • Informal
1.0

A close friend you spend time with

focuses more on male identity and shared group membership in address
bro
vsbrother
  • Slang
113 7.7

A male friend or a brother

also implies close group belonging and camaraderie beyond casual address
comrade
vsbrother
88 3.8

A friend or companion who shares activities and experiences

is more personal and used as a friendly male form of address
amigo
vsbrother
  • Informal
78 7.8

A person you like and trust, often a close friend

is more specifically used for close male friends and group comradeship
mano
vsbrother
  • Slang
20 9.8

A close male friend you call like a brother

is the general friendly term across groups rather than only regional usage
bre
vsbrother
  • South African
1 9.9

A close friend like a brother

is specifically focused on male friendship and group camaraderie rather than general slang
brah
vsbrother
  • Australian
1 9.9

An informal word for a guy friend, like bro

carries wider sense of close male friendship and membership in the same group

Antonyms

1.0

A person who wants to harm or defeat you

292 2.7

A person or group that competes with another for the same goal

Idioms

oh brother
  • Informal
2 8.7

A phrase that shows frustration or annoyance

1 6.7

A very large number of people, almost everyone

Compounds

269 1.0

A brother who is younger than you

153 1.6

A man in your family by marriage, for example your spouse's brother or your sister's husband

119 3.4

An older brother who looks after and helps you

46 2.1

A brother who has only one parent in common with you

27 7.0

A person or organization that watches and controls people's lives too closely

11 5.1

A man not related by birth who promises loyalty and closeness for life, often after a ceremony

big brother
  • Literature
8 4.8

A powerful government or company that watches people and their private information

A boy or man who your parents raise in your family though not born to them

soul brother
  • Archaic
2 7.5

A Black man who shares close friendship and support in his community

A boy or man who is not a blood relative but is raised as part of your family

How Close

brother
  • Informal
1.0
friend
1.0
colleague
892 2.3
acquaintance
114 3.5

Surface Forms

brother singular
brothers plural

Etymology

Brother is also used to mean a close friend or comrade; this sense grew from the family idea, and people who feel very close call each other 'brother', as in brotherhood, which is why it shows friendship or group loyalty.