brethren-in-law

A form of brother-in-law — The brother of one's spouse.

OriginMiddle English breþeren in lawe →
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Meanings

noun

alternative brethren in law

  1. archaicpluralplural of brother-in-law

    And if, occasionally, their superior position made these officers in times of emergency address their tattooed brethren-in-law in vigorous and uncomplimentary language, emphasized by a knockdown blow, no ill will was either felt on one side nor engendered on the other.

    1997, David A. Chappell, Double Ghosts: Oceanian Voyagers on Euroamerican Ships, page 60

Origin

  1. Middle Englishbreþeren in lawe
  2. Englishbrethren-in-law

From Middle English breþeren in lawe, equivalent to brethren + in + law.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

brethren-in-law. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brethren-in-law

MLA

“brethren-in-law.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brethren-in-law. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “brethren-in-law,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/brethren-in-law.

Source: brethren-in-law on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.