brotherly

[bruhth-er-lee]

adjective

1. of, like, or befitting a brother; brother; affectionate and loyal; fraternal.

   brotherly love.

adverb

1. as a brother; brother; fraternally.

brotherly

/ ˈbrʌðəlɪ /

adjective

1. of, resembling, or suitable to a brother, esp in showing loyalty and affection; fraternal

adverb

1. in a brotherly way; fraternally

Other Word Forms

• brotherliness noun
• pseudobrotherly adverb
• quasi-brotherly adjective
• unbrotherliness noun
• unbrotherly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of brotherly¹

before 1000; Middle English; Old English brōthorlīc. See brother, -ly

Example Sentences

Positions are entrenched, they are fiercely protective of their wives and families and rebuilding that brotherly bond and trust feels a long way off.

From BBC

At the Alaska summit, Putin not only mentioned Ukraine as a “brotherly nation,” but also emphasized that “the situation in Ukraine has to do with fundamental threats to Russian security.”

From Salon

In a statement the ministry said that "we cannot remain unresponsive to what is happening in brotherly Serbia."

From BBC

I was shocked to see him gesture to a framed photo of Vincent and another guy beaming at the camera, arms flung over each other’s shoulders in a brotherly manner.

From Los Angeles Times

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry denounced the “heinous Israeli attacks against the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• affectionate 
• amicable 
• cordial 
• fraternal 
• neighborly 
• selfless 

When To Use

What does brotherly mean?

Brotherly is an adjective that most commonly means like a brother. It’s especially used in a positive way to describe someone as being loyal, supportive, and protective—like a good brother who loves and cares about you.Describing someone as brotherly sometimes implies that they’re like an older brother who can give good advice.The word fraternal can be used to mean the same thing, but it can also be used in a more neutral way that doesn’t imply these positive things.Brotherly is most often used to describe brothers themselves and the brotherly things they do, but it can be applied to someone who’s not a brother, as in I don’t have a brother, but I always rely on Joe for brotherly support. It’s sometimes used in a more general way to describe behavior based on treating others with respect and affection, as if they were family members. The word neighborly is similar.Brotherly can also be used as an adverb meaning in the manner of a brother.Brotherly is one of many similar terms based on family relations, including sisterly, motherly, fatherly, grandmotherly, and grandfatherly.Example: I’m lucky that my brothers and I have always shared a brotherly affection—we all support each other.