brotherly

adjective

broth·​er·​ly ˈbrə-t͟hər-lē 

1

: of or relating to brothers

2

: natural or becoming to brothers : affectionate

brotherly love

brotherliness noun

brotherly adverb

Synonyms of brotherly

• fraternal

Examples of brotherly in a Sentence

He gave his sister a brotherly hug.

He received brotherly support from his fellow priests.

Recent Examples on the Web

Jimmy’s connection with Tariq, who is missing a leg due to a bomb that also scarred his mother’s face, is rooted in his brotherly love for his father Khalil, Jimmy’s translator, who was killed because of his work with the Americans. —Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026

Georgia is becoming the NFL’s state of brotherly love. —Todd Holcomb, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Because, since now-19-year-old Antonelli replaced Lewis Hamilton alongside Russell, racing-teammate life isn’t always as easy a dynamic as the brotherly one fostered at Mercedes. —Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2026

Last August, Joe and his brothers, Nick, 33, and Kevin, 38, appeared on an episode of Amy Poehler’s podcast Good Hang, and chatted about their brotherly bond, as well as their experiences as parents. —Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for brotherly

• motherly
• southerly

Kids Definition

brotherly

adjective

broth·​er·​ly ˈbrət͟h-ər-lē 

1

: of or relating to brothers

2

: kindly entry 1 sense 2, affectionate

brotherliness noun