fraternity

fraternity
/freuh terr"ni tee/, n., pl. fraternities.
1. a local or national organization of male students, primarily for social purposes, usually with secret initiation and rites and a name composed of two or three 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, interests, etc.: the medical fraternity.
4. an organization of laymen for religious or charitable purposes; sodality.
5. the quality of being brotherly; brotherhood: liberty, equality, and fraternity.
6. the relation of a brother or between brothers.
[1300-50; ME fraternite < L fraternitas. See FRATERNAL, -ITY]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Fraternity — Fra*ter ni*ty, n.; pl. {Fraternities}. [F. fraternit[ e], L. fraternitas.] 1. The state or quality of being fraternal or brotherly; brotherhood. [1913 Webster] 2. A body of men associated for their common interest, business, or pleasure; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fraternity — [frə tʉr′nə tē] n. pl. fraternities [ME fraternite < OFr fraternité < L fraternitas < fraternus: see FRATERNAL] 1. the state or quality of being brothers; fraternal relationship or spirit; brotherliness 2. a group of men (or, sometimes,… …   English World dictionary

  • fraternity — index coaction, concordance, society, sodality, union (labor organization) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • fraternity — early 14c., body of men associated by common interest, from O.Fr. fraternité (12c.), from L. fraternitatem (nom. fraternitas) brotherhood, from fraternus brotherly, from frater brother, from PIE *bhrater (see BROTHER (Cf. brother)). Meaning state …   Etymology dictionary

  • fraternity — [n] brotherhood affiliation, camaraderie, club, fellowship, frat*, guild, house, kinship, order, sisterhood, society, sorority; concepts 381,387 Ant. sisterhood, sorority …   New thesaurus

  • fraternity — ► NOUN (pl. fraternities) 1) a group of people sharing a common profession or interests. 2) N. Amer. a male students society in a university or college. 3) a religious or masonic society or guild. 4) friendship and mutual support within a group …   English terms dictionary

  • Fraternity — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Fraternité (homonymie). Demande de traduction …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Fraternity — For other uses, see Fraternity (disambiguation). A fraternity (Latin frater : brother ) is a brotherhood, though the term sometimes connotes a distinct or formal organization and a secret society. Contents 1 History 2 Types of fraternities …   Wikipedia

  • Fraternity — Dieser Artikel oder Abschnitt ist nicht hinreichend mit Belegen (Literatur, Webseiten oder Einzelnachweisen) versehen. Die fraglichen Angaben werden daher möglicherweise demnächst gelöscht. Hilf Wikipedia, indem du die Angaben recherchierst und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • fraternity — n. (US) 1) to pledge a fraternity ( to agree to join a fraternity ) 2) a college fraternity (see also sorority) * * * [frə tɜːnɪtɪ] (US) to pledge a fraternity ( to agree to join a fraternity ) a college fraternity (see also sorority) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • fraternity — [[t]frətɜ͟ː(r)nɪti[/t]] fraternities 1) N UNCOUNT Fraternity refers to friendship and support between people who feel they are closely linked to each other. [FORMAL] Bob needs the fraternity of others who share his mission. Syn: comradeship 2) N… …   English dictionary

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