brother
UK[ˈbrʌðə(r)]US[ˈbrʌðər]
n
a man or boy in relation to other sons and daughters of his parents
n
a male fellow member of a group, organization, or religion
Etymology
The word 'brother' has a deep and stable lineage within the Germanic family of languages. It descends directly from the Proto-Germanic 'brōþēr', which in turn originates from the Proto-Indo-European root 'bʰréh₂tēr', a fundamental kinship term. This ancient root traveled through various language branches, giving rise to the Latin 'frāter' (seen in 'fraternal') and the Sanskrit 'bhrātṛ', while its direct Germanic form evolved into Old English 'brōþor'. The core meaning of a male sibling has remained remarkably consistent throughout its millennia-long journey into Modern English.
Analysis
The modern English word 'brother' is a single, unsegmentable morpheme derived from the Old English 'brōþor'. It functions as a free root noun.
Examples
My younger brother is studying to become a doctor.
The soldiers fought alongside their brothers in arms.
We are all brothers and sisters in this community.