half-brother
/'hɑ:f,brʌðə/
Definition
Noun: A male sibling who shares only one biological parent with you. This means you have either the same mother but different fathers, or the same father but different mothers.
Usage
The term "half-brother" is used to specify a familial relationship that is genetically partial. It is a standard, neutral term used in legal, genealogical, and everyday contexts. - It is typically used as a countable noun. - It can be used with possessive pronouns (e.g., my half-brother, her half-brother).
Examples
Advanced Usage
- Legal and Genealogical Context: The term is precise for describing inheritance rights, family medical history, and constructing family trees.
- Social Context: The closeness of the relationship is defined by family dynamics, not genetics. Some people simply refer to a half-brother as a "brother" if they share a household or a close bond.
Variants and Related Words
- Half-sister (noun): A female sibling who shares only one biological parent with you.
- Stepbrother (noun): A son of one's stepparent from a previous relationship, with whom one shares no biological parent. This is a different relationship from a half-brother.
- Full brother (noun): A brother who shares both biological parents with you.
Synonyms
- Brother (in contexts where the genetic distinction is not emphasized or is already understood).
Antonyms
- Full brother
- Unrelated
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "On my father's/mother's side": This phrase is often used to clarify a half-sibling relationship.
- He is my half-brother on my mother's side. (Meaning we share the same mother.)
Noun
-
a brother who has only one parent in common with you
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