A male having the same parents as another or one parent in common with another.
pl. also breth·ren (brěth'rən) One who shares a common ancestry, allegiance, character, or purpose with another or others, especially:
A kinsman.
A fellow man.
A fellow member, as of a fraternity, trade union, or panel of judges on a court.
A close male friend; a comrade.
A fellow African-American man or boy.
Abbr. Br. or Bro. A member of a men's religious order who is not in holy orders but engages in the work of the order.
A lay member of a religious order of men.
pl. also brethren A fellow member of the Christian church.
pl. also brethren Something, such as a corporation or institution, that is regarded as a member of a class: "A station that ... relies on corporate contributions or advertising to survive runs the risk of becoming virtually indistinguishable from its commercial brethren"(W. John Moore).
Abbr. Br. or Bro. A member of a men's religious order who is not in holy orders but engages in the work of the order.
A lay member of a religious order of men.
pl. also brethren A fellow member of the Christian church.
[Middle English, from Old English brōthor; see bhrāter- in Indo-European roots.]