BROTHER, n. plu. brothers or brethren. L. frater.
1. A human male born of the same father and mother. A male by one of the parents only is called a half-brother, or brother of the half blood.
2. Any one closely united an associate as a band of brothers.
3. One that resembles another in manners.
He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Proverbs 18 .
In scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman by blood more remote that a son of the same parents as in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. Persons of the same profession call each other brother, as judges, clergymen, professors of religion, members of societies united in a common cause, monks and the like.
Kings give to each other the title of brother.address their congregations by the title of brethren. In a more general sense, brother or brethren is used for man in general all men being children of the same primitive ancestors, and forming one race of beings.
Brother-german is a brother by the father's and mother's side, in contradistinction to a uterine brother, or by the mother only.
The King James Bible has stood its ground for nearly 400 years. However, during that time the English language has changed, and with it the meanings of some words it used. Here are more than 6,500 words whose definitions have changed since 1611.Wikipedia
Read More