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sister

 - 3 dictionary results

sis⋅ter

  [sis-ter]
Use sister in a Sentence
–noun
1. a female offspring having both parents in common with another offspring; female sibling.
2. Also called half sister. a female offspring having only one parent in common with another offspring.
3. stepsister.
4. a female friend or protector regarded as a sister.
5. a thing regarded as feminine and associated as if by kinship with something else: The ships are sisters.
6. a female fellow member, as of a church.
7. a female member of a religious community that observes the simple vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
8. British. a nurse in charge of a hospital ward; head nurse.
9. a fellow black woman.
10. a woman who supports, promotes, or participates in feminism.
11. Informal. a form of address used to a woman or girl, esp. jocularly or contemptuously: Listen, sister, you've had enough.
–adjective
12. being or considered a sister; related by or as if by sisterhood: sister ships.
13. having a close relationship with another because of shared interests, problems, or the like: We correspond with school children in our sister city.
14. Biochemistry. being one of an identical pair.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME (n.) < ON systir; c. OE sweoster, D zuster, G Schwester, Goth swistar; akin to Serbo-Croatian sèstra, Lith sesuõ, L soror (< *swesor), OIr siur, Welsh chwaer, Skt svasar sister, Gk éor daughter, niece

Related forms:
sis⋅ter⋅less, adjective
sis⋅ter⋅like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sister
sis·ter   (sĭs'tər)   
n.  

  1. A female having the same parents as another or one parent in common with another.

  2. A girl or woman who shares a common ancestry, allegiance, character, or purpose with another or others, specifically:

    1. A kinswoman.

    2. A woman fellow member, as of a sorority.

    3. A fellow woman.

    4. A close woman friend or companion.

    5. A fellow African-American woman or girl.

    6. A woman who advocates, fosters, or takes part in the feminist movement.

    7. A member of a religious order of women; a nun.

    8. Used as a form of address for such a woman, alone or followed by the woman's name.

  3. Informal Used as a form of address for a woman or girl.

  4. Abbr. Sr. Ecclesiastical

    1. A member of a religious order of women; a nun.

    2. Used as a form of address for such a woman, alone or followed by the woman's name.

  5. Chiefly British A nurse, especially the head nurse in a ward.

  6. One identified as female and closely related to another: "the sisters Death and Night" (Walt Whitman).

adj.  

  1. Related by or as if by sisterhood; closely related: sister ships; sister cities.

  2. Genetics Of or being one of an identical pair: sister chromatids.


[Middle English, from Old Norse systir; see swesor- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: sis·ter
Pronunciation: 'sis-t&r
Function: noun
chiefly British : a head nurse in a hospital ward or clinic; broadly : NURSE
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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