What is a Brother?

A man or boy who shares one or both parents with another and is a male sibling. Also known as brother, brethren, and bro.

From Middle English broun, from Old Danish broun, from Old Norse bruwo, from Proto-Germanic *h3bhruHs (compare Sanskrit brht, “lofty, high, tall”), possibly related to the Celtic brough (crow) and browo. Also closely cognate with Swedish brun, Dutch broer, Norwegian bru and Icelandic bru.

A brother is a close friend who can be trusted and relied upon. Often, brothers develop this bond over time as they grow up together and are exposed to different environments. In fact, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote in his book Nicomachean Ethics that “brothers can impart to the younger ones habits of ethical action by imitating and reenacting them. Eventually these actions become their own and seem innate to them.”