confraternity
Definition
- Noun:
- A group of people united for a common purpose or by a common interest: "confraternity" refers to an association or society, often religious or charitable, whose members share a bond of brotherhood or fellowship.
Usage Examples
- (A group of artists united by their shared interest.)
- (A charitable association with a common mission.)
Advanced Usage
"confraternity of scholars": a group of academics or intellectuals who collaborate or share a field of study.
- The confraternity of scholars at the conference debated the latest research findings. (A fellowship of learned individuals.)
"religious confraternity": a lay organization within a church, typically for devotional or charitable work.
- The religious confraternity organized a food drive for the poor. (A church-affiliated group.)
Variants and Related Words
Confraternal (adj): relating to or characteristic of a confraternity.
- The confraternal spirit was evident in their cooperative efforts. (Brotherly or fraternal in nature.)
Confrater (n): a member of a confraternity (rarely used).
- Each confrater was expected to contribute to the group's fund. (A member of the brotherhood.)
Synonyms
- Brotherhood: a group of people sharing a common bond or cause.
- Fellowship: a friendly association of people with shared interests.
- Society: an organized group of people with a common aim.
Related Idioms
- "Band of brothers": a close-knit group of people united by a common purpose (similar to "confraternity").
- The team worked like a band of brothers, supporting each other through tough times. (A tightly bonded confraternity.)
Phrasal Verbs
- (None directly associated with "confraternity" as it is a noun; however, related verbal phrases include "form a confraternity" or "join a confraternity".)
- They decided to form a confraternity to preserve local history. (Create an association.)
- She joined the confraternity to make new friends. (Become a member.)