brotherhood
UK[ˈbrʌðəhʊd]US[ˈbrʌðɚhʊd]
n
the relationship between brothers
n
a feeling of friendship and support between people
n
an organization formed for a particular purpose or profession, especially a religious society or trade association
Morpheme Breakdown
brother
hood
brother
male sibling
hood
state or condition
Etymology
the word 'brotherhood' is a native english compound, formed from the old english noun 'brōþor' and the suffix '-hād'. the root 'brōþor' descends from proto-germanic 'brōþēr', which itself derives from the proto-indo-European 'bʰréh₂tēr', a term central to kinship that also gave rise to latin 'frāter' and sanskrit 'bhrā́tṛ'. the suffix '-hād', meaning 'state, condition, order', evolved from a distinct old english noun. over time, the literal meaning of 'the state of being a brother' expanded metaphorically. it came to encompass the abstract qualities of fellowship, solidarity, and communal association, reflecting how familial bonds provide a logical model for other close-knit relationships and organized groups.
Analysis
Structure: brother (male sibling) + hood (state or condition)
brother: from old english 'brōþor', of germanic origin; related to dutch 'broeder' and german 'bruder'. functions as the base noun denoting a male sibling.
hood: from old english '-hād', originally an independent noun meaning 'person, condition, quality'. functions as a suffix forming nouns of state or condition.
Examples
there was a strong sense of brotherhood among the soldiers who had served together.
the monks lived a life of prayer and brotherhood.
he was a member of the electrical workers' brotherhood.