sister
UK[ˈsɪstə]US[ˈsɪstər]
n
A girl or woman who has the same parents as another person.
n
A woman who is a member of the same family, group, or community as others; a female fellow member.
Etymology
The word "sister" originates from the Old English sweostor, which evolved from the Proto-Germanic \swestēr. This, in turn, can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European root \swésōr, meaning "sister." This ancient root is remarkably stable, giving rise to similar terms across many Indo-European languages, such as Latin soror, Sanskrit svásṛ, and Russian sestrá. The modern English form "sister" emerged through regular sound changes, notably the loss of the initial /w/ sound and the simplification of the medial consonant cluster. Its core meaning of a female sibling has remained consistent throughout its long linguistic history.
Analysis
The word is a simplex form. It is derived from Old English sweostor, swuster, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch zuster and German Schwester, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin soror.
Examples
My younger sister is studying to become a doctor.
She was like a sister to me during our time at university.
All nurses are addressed as "Sister" in some hospital traditions.