different between sistren vs brethren

English

Etymology

See the etymology of the main entry.

Alternative forms

• sistern

Noun

sistren

1. (archaic) plural of sister
   • 1570 March 13. Will of David Tyrry Fitz Edmonde:

     My wyfe to have my dwelling house during her widowhood, that is to say, the hall, the parlor, and the small seller: to my sistren Catheryn and Ellen Tyrry their grinding in my myll during their lives, paying noo toll nor multhe money.

   • 2003 April 16 (airdate). Angel (TV series), episode "The Magic Bullet"

     LORNE: Blessings and moon pies, brethren and sistren!

Usage notes

• This form died out around the sixteenth century. Since then, it has been most often used jocularly together with brethren, as in “brethren and sistren”.

Noun

sistren (plural sistrens)

1. (Rastafari) A close female friend, family member, or comrade.

Coordinate terms

• bredrin

Anagrams

• Inserts, Stiners, Strines, estrins, inserts, sestrin, sinters, sistern

Middle English

Noun

sistren

1. Alternative form of sustren (plural of suster)

English

Alternative forms

• brethern (obsolete)

Etymology

From Early Modern English brethren, plural of brother, from Middle English brethren, from Middle English brethere, brether + -en (plural ending). Ultimately from Old English br?þor, br?þru (“brothers, brethren”), influenced by Old English br?þer, dative singular of br?þor (“brother”). Equivalent to brother +? -en pl. Compare German Brüder (“brothers, brethren”). More at brother. The vowel change (from o to e) is called umlaut.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b??ð??n/

Noun

brethren

1. (archaic) plural of brother

Usage notes

The plural brethren is generally used for members of an organization, especially a religious body, whereas the plural brothers is used in the familial sense as well as for larger groups.

Derived terms

Noun

brethren pl (plural only)

1. (figuratively) The body of members, especially of a fraternal, religious or military order.

Translations

Adjective

brethren (comparative more brethren, superlative most brethren)

1. Of or akin to; related; like

See also

• Brethren
• brother
• sistren and nun
• friar and frater or father
• brotherhood, sisterhood
• fraternity
• siblings