brothers-in-law

Two brothers-in-law are playing chess in the living room.

Definition

1. Noun (plural of brother-in-law):
   • Spouse's brother: "brothers-in-law" refers to the brothers of one's spouse.
   • Sister's husband: "brothers-in-law" also refers to the husbands of one's sisters.
   • Spouse's sister's husband: In a broader sense, "brothers-in-law" can refer to the husbands of one's spouse's sisters (i.e., the brothers-in-law of one's spouse).

Usage Examples

• (The brothers of my spouse.)
• (The husbands of her sisters.)
• (Both types of relatives by marriage.)

Advanced Usage

• "to become brothers-in-law": to enter into a relationship where two people are married to sisters, or one marries the other's sister.

  • After his sister married my brother, we became brothers-in-law. (We are now related by marriage.)

• "a gathering of brothers-in-law": an informal meeting of men who are related through marriage to the same family.

  • The brothers-in-law meet every year for a fishing trip. (A social event for these relatives.)

Variants and Related Words

• Brother-in-law (singular noun): one such relative.

  • My brother-in-law is a doctor. (One specific relative by marriage.)

• Sister-in-law (noun): the sister of one's spouse, or the wife of one's brother.

  • She is my sister-in-law; she married my brother. (A female relative by marriage.)

• In-laws (plural noun): a general term for all relatives by marriage, including brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, parents-in-law, etc.

  • We are visiting my in-laws for the holidays. (My spouse's family members.)

Synonyms

• Relatives by marriage: a formal term for people related through marriage rather than blood.
• Marital kin: a scholarly term for family members connected through marriage.

Related Idioms

• "like brothers-in-law": used to describe a close, informal relationship similar to that of brothers-in-law, often implying mutual respect and occasional teasing.

  • They get along like brothers-in-law, always joking but loyal. (They have a friendly, familial bond.)

• "the brother-in-law clause": a humorous or informal term for a rule or arrangement that favors a relative by marriage, often in business or family matters.

  • He got the job because of the brother-in-law clause. (He was hired due to family connections.)