sister
4 synonyms and 0 antonyms for sister, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A female sibling; a daughter sharing the same parents as another person.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use sister
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English sweostor, from Proto-Germanic *swestēr, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root for "sister" — one of the oldest and most widely shared words in Indo-European languages.
Full origin of sister →Frequently asked questions
What does “sister” mean?
The word “sister” means a female sibling; a daughter sharing the same parents as another person. In plain terms, a female sibling, or by extension a woman treated with sibling-like closeness or respect.
How do you pronounce “sister”?
“Sister” is pronounced SIHS-tuh (/ˈsɪs.tɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sister” in a sentence?
Here is “sister” used in a sentence: “My sister lives just a few streets away.”
What part of speech is “sister”?
“Sister” is a noun.
Where does the word “sister” come from?
The word “sister” comes from Old English. From Old English sweostor, from Proto-Germanic *swestēr, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root for "sister" — one of the oldest and most widely shared words in Indo-European languages.
Is “sister” a common word?
“Sister” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “sister” have?
“Sister” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a female sibling; a daughter sharing the same parents as another person.
What is the difference between a sister and a sibling?
A sibling is any brother or sister; the word is gender-neutral and simply means a child of the same parents. A sister is specifically a female sibling. So every sister is a sibling, but a sibling could equally be a brother. 'Sibling' is the umbrella term, while 'sister' names the gender.
What is the difference between a half-sister and a step-sister?
A half-sister shares one biological parent with you, either the same mother or the same father. A step-sister shares no blood at all; she becomes your sister when a parent marries her parent. Half-sisters are linked by birth, while step-sisters are linked only by marriage.
What are the types of sister?
Beyond a full sister, who shares both parents, there are half-sisters sharing one parent, step-sisters joined through a parent's remarriage, and adoptive sisters brought into the family legally. 'Sister-in-law' extends the word by marriage, meaning your spouse's sister or your sibling's wife.
What does 'sister' mean outside the family?
'Sister' is used well beyond blood ties. It can mean a nun in a religious order, a fellow woman expressing solidarity, or, in British hospitals, a senior nurse in charge of a ward. It also describes closely linked things, such as a sister company or a sister city.