blood brotherhood

7.4

A very close friendship where people promise to be like family, sometimes by mixing blood

noun
/blʌd ˈbrʌðərhʊd/

: hermandad de sangre

This often involved a ceremony of blood brotherhood and/or an exchange of gifts, though sometimes toll or tribute payments were required instead.

Examples

Obviously, blood brotherhood was no laughing matter.

Fiction book (1997)
You know how the old German knights used to swear blood-brotherhood?

Women in Love (1969)
Therefore, blood brotherhood with a tree is worthless, and a worthless pact is invalid.

Fiction book (1997)
Through a special ceremony, they formed a blood brotherhood that would last a lifetime.
In many cultures, a blood brotherhood is created by mixing blood during a ritual.
Their blood brotherhood symbolized their promise to protect and support each other.

Synonyms

brotherhood

vsblood brotherhood

43 3.7

A group of people in the same job who support each other

is a personal sworn bond often sealed by a symbolic act

Antonyms

rivalry

102 2.8

Competition between people or groups who try to be more successful for the same goal

enmity

16 8.0

A strong feeling of hatred toward people or groups

How Close

blood brotherhood

7.4

friend

∞ 1.0

acquaintance

114 3.5

Surface Forms

blood brotherhood singular

blood brotherhoods plural

Morphology

blood + brotherhood

The phrase combines the literal senses of 'blood' (kinship or a blood-based tie/rite) and 'brotherhood' (a close bond of solidarity), so a learner who knows both words can infer a close, kin-like or oath-bound bond. While the specific ritual of mixing blood is cultural knowledge, the basic meaning is compositionally predictable and cross-linguistically common.

Etymology

Blood brotherhood may come from old ceremonies where two people made a small cut and mixed their blood, promising to be like brothers. So today blood brotherhood means a very close 'sworn friendship'.