fra·ter·ni·ty

(frə-tûr′nĭ-tē)

n. pl. fra·ter·ni·ties

1. A body of people associated for a common purpose or interest, such as a guild.

2. A group of people joined by similar backgrounds, occupations, interests, or tastes: the fraternity of bird watchers.

3. A social organization at a college or university, traditionally consisting of male students and designated by Greek letters.

4. Roman Catholic Church A sodality.

5. The quality or condition of being brothers; brotherliness.

[Middle English fraternite, from Old French, from Latin frāternitās, from frāternus, fraternal; see fraternal.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fraternity

(frəˈtɜːnɪtɪ)

n, pl -ties

1. a body of people united in interests, aims, etc: the teaching fraternity. Gender-neutral form: community

2. brotherhood

3. (Education) US and Canadian a secret society joined by male students, usually functioning as a social club

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

fra•ter•ni•ty

(frəˈtɜr nɪ ti)

n., pl. -ties.

1. a local or national social organization of male students usu. with secret initiation and rites and a name composed of Greek letters.

2. a group of persons associated by or as if by ties of brotherhood.

3. any group or class of persons having common purposes or interests.

4. an organization of laymen for religious or charitable purposes; sodality.

5. the quality or state of being brotherly; brotherhood.

[1300–50; Middle English < Latin]

fraternity

a fellowship or association of men, as for a benevolent or charitable purpose or at a college.

Fraternity

a group of men joined by a common interest or organized for religious purposes, 1330. See also brotherhood, fellowship, guild.

Examples: fraternity of couriers, 1838; of free masons, 1851; of goldsmiths, 1870; of mercers, 1483; of vagabonds, 1561.

fraternity

An organization of male students at a college or university, primarily for social activities.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	fraternity - a social club for male undergraduates frat gild, guild, social club, society, club, lodge, order - a formal association of people with similar interests; "he joined a golf club"; "they formed a small lunch society"; "men from the fraternal order will staff the soup kitchen today" chapter - a local branch of some fraternity or association; "he joined the Atlanta chapter"
	2.	fraternity - people engaged in a particular occupation; "the medical fraternity" sodality, brotherhood social class, socio-economic class, stratum, class - people having the same social, economic, or educational status; "the working class"; "an emerging professional class" brother - a male person who is a fellow member (of a fraternity or religion or other group); "none of his brothers would betray him" sodalist - a member of a sodality

fraternity

noun

1. companionship, fellowship, brotherhood, kinship, camaraderie, comradeship He needs the fraternity of others.

2. circle, company, set, order, clan, guild the spread of stolen guns among the criminal fraternity

3. brotherhood, club, union, society, league, association, sodality He joined a college fraternity.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

fraternity

noun

A group of people united in a relationship and having some interest, activity, or purpose in common:

association, club, confederation, congress, federation, fellowship, guild, league, order, organization, society, sorority, union.

Translations

أخَويَّه رهبانيَّهجَماعَه أخويّه، رابِطَهجَمعِيَّة مِن الطُّلّاب الذُّكور

bratrstvochlapecký studentský spolekprofesespolečenství

broderskabgruppestand

Bruderschaft Gemeinschaft Studentenverbindung Verbindung

fraternidad

veljeskuntaveljeys

fraternité amicale confrérie

bratstvo

diákklubtestvériesség

bræîralag, félagasamtökfélagssamtök karlmanna; bræîralag

fratellanza associazione club maschile di studenti

gilde laug -standen

fraternitate

chlapčenský študentský spolok

birlik cemiyet dernekerkek öğrenciler derneğikardeşlik derneği

为共同利益结合的团体互助会兄弟会共济会大学女生联谊会

fraternity

[frəˈtɜːnɪtɪ] N

1. (= comradeship) → fraternidad f

2. (US) (Univ) → círculo m estudiantil

3. (= organization) → hermandad f
the criminal fraternity → el mundo del hampa
the yachting fraternity → los aficionados a la vela SORORITY/FRATERNITY

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

fraternity

[frəˈtɜː^rnɪti] n

(= friendship and support) → fraternité f

(= social group) → confrérie f, communauté f
the sailing fraternity → la confrérie des marins

(US) (in university) association d'étudiants sélective

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

fraternity

no pl → Brüderlichkeit f

(= community) → Vereinigung f, → Zunft f; (Eccl) → Bruderschaft f; (US Univ) → Verbindung f; the legal/medical/teaching fraternity → die Juristen pl → /Mediziner pl → /Lehrer pl; the hunting/sailing fraternity → die Jagd-/Segelfans pl; the criminal fraternity → die Kriminellen pl, → die Unterwelt ? also sorority

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

fraternity

[frəˈtɜːnɪtɪ] n → fraternità; (club) → associazione f; (spirit) → fratellanza (Am) (Univ) associazione studentesca maschile

fraternal

(frəˈtəːnl) adjective

of or like a brother. a fraternal greeting.

fraˈternally adverb

fraˈternity – plural fraˈternities – noun

1. a company of people who regard each other as equals, eg monks.

2. a company of people with the same interest, job etc. the banking fraternity.

3. (American) a society of male students in various universities.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

The more I dive into this matter of whaling, and push my researches up to the very spring-head of it, so much the more am I impressed with its great honorableness and antiquity; and especially when I find so many great demi-gods and heroes, prophets of all sorts, who one way or other have shed distinction upon it, I am transported with the reflection that I myself belong, though but subordinately, to so emblazoned a fraternity. The gallant Perseus, a son of Jupiter, was the first whaleman; and to the eternal honor of our calling be it said, that the first whale attacked by our brotherhood was not killed with any sordid intent.

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They were a very wise fraternity; and their huge wigs, and black dresses, and solemn visages made their wisdom appear even profounder than it was.

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"Thou art in the right of it, Sancho," said Don Quixote; "and the bachelor Samson Carrasco, if he enters the pastoral fraternity, as no doubt he will, may call himself the shepherd Samsonino, or perhaps the shepherd Carrascon; Nicholas the barber may call himself Niculoso, as old Boscan formerly was called Nemoroso; as for the curate I don't know what name we can fit to him unless it be something derived from his title, and we call him the shepherd Curiambro.

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While they were thus amusing themselves, another of the fraternity made his appearance, and looked gravely on their sports for some time, without offering to join in them.

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The recent wreck had dismayed even the voyageurs, and the fate of their popular comrade, Clappine, one of the most adroit and experienced of their fraternity, had struck sorrow to their hearts, for with all their levity, these thoughtless beings have great kindness towards each other.

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For the reasons mentioned in the preceding chapter, and from some other matrimonial concessions, well known to most husbands, and which, like the secrets of freemasonry, should be divulged to none who are not members of that honourable fraternity, Mrs Partridge was pretty well satisfied that she had condemned her husband without cause, and endeavoured by acts of kindness to make him amends for her false suspicion.

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A crowd who exhibit what they deem to be broken hearts--and among them many lovelorn maids and bachelors, and men of disappointed ambition in arts or politics, and the poor who were once rich, or who have sought to be rich in vain--the great majority of these may ask admittance into some other fraternity. There is no room here.

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The famous Medmenham monks, or "Hell Fire Club," as they were commonly called, and of whom the notorious Wilkes was a member, were a fraternity whose motto was "Do as you please," and that invitation still stands over the ruined doorway of the abbey.

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In mediaeval times many of the wealthiest fraternities obtained their estates in this simple and cheap manner, and once when Henry VIII of England sent an officer to confiscate certain vast possessions which a fraternity of monks held by frankalmoigne, "What!" said the Prior, "would you master stay our benefactor's soul in Purgatory?" "Ay," said the officer, coldly, "an ye will not pray him thence for naught he must e'en roast." "But look you, my son," persisted the good man, "this act hath rank as robbery of God!" "Nay, nay, good father, my master the king doth but deliver him from the manifold temptations of too great wealth."

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Monseigneur gone, and the three strong men absolving themselves from the sin of having drawn his high wages, by being more than ready and willing to cut his throat on the altar of the dawning Republic one and indivisible of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death, Monseigneur's house had been first sequestrated, and then confiscated.

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This artist is much encouraged and esteemed by the whole fraternity.

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It was a mysterious fraternity born of the smoke and dan- ger of death.

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