adj
Uncommon
fraternal
fruh-TNUHL
Fraternal (adj) means relating to brothers, or having a warm, brotherly closeness. Example: “The two colleagues developed a fraternal bond over the years.”
adj
1
Relating to brothers, or having a warm, brotherly closeness.
"The two colleagues developed a fraternal bond over the years."
"The union expressed fraternal solidarity with striking workers abroad."
2
Describing twins who developed from two separate eggs and are genetically no more alike than ordinary siblings.
"Fraternal twins can be different sexes, unlike identical twins."
How to use fraternal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBrotherly, or (for twins) genetically distinct rather than identical.
Common mistake
Fraternal twins are not identical — they share about as much DNA as regular siblings, just born at the same time.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
fraternal twins
fraternal bond
fraternal organization
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like fraternal.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Plural
- fraternals
- Comparative
- more fraternal
- Superlative
- most fraternal
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The two colleagues developed a _____ bond over the years.
Etymology
From Latin fraternus, "of a brother," from frater, "brother."
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for fraternal
See all rhymes for fraternal →Frequently asked questions
What does “fraternal” mean?
The word “fraternal” means relating to brothers, or having a warm, brotherly closeness. In plain terms, brotherly, or (for twins) genetically distinct rather than identical.
How do you pronounce “fraternal”?
“Fraternal” is pronounced fruh-TNUHL (/fɹəˈtɝnəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “fraternal” in a sentence?
Here is “fraternal” used in a sentence: “The two colleagues developed a fraternal bond over the years.”
What is another word for “fraternal”?
Words with a similar meaning to “fraternal” include brotherly.
What part of speech is “fraternal”?
“Fraternal” is an adjective.
Where does the word “fraternal” come from?
The word “fraternal” comes from Latin. From Latin fraternus, "of a brother," from frater, "brother.".
Is “fraternal” a common word?
“Fraternal” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “fraternal” have?
“Fraternal” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to brothers, or having a warm, brotherly closeness.
