brother-in-law
Americannoun
plural
brothers-in-law-
the brother of one's spouse.
-
the husband of one's sister or brother.
-
the husband of one's spouse's sister or brother.
noun
-
the brother of one's wife or husband
-
the husband of one's sister
-
the husband of the sister of one's husband or wife
Etymology
Origin of brother-in-law
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English brother in law(e); brotherinlaw 1; from Middle English in-lawe “in law,” i.e.“a person within the regulation and protection of the law,” based on the prohibition by Roman civil law andlaterChristian canon lawof marriages within four degrees of consanguinityi.e.up to and including first cousins
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She eventually tracks down other Blumstein relations who had landed in Israelfinding them living in the same town as Ms. Gerson’s brother-in-law.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 72026
"I'd always wanted to do a practical joband my brother-in-law had just gone through the training for a train driver and said'why don't you try it?'."
From BBC • Mar. 212026
"It is not our obligationbut our duty," the 33-year-oldwhose brother-in-law was released after more than two years in Russian detentionsaid.
From Barron's • Mar. 182026
He was in Belgrade with Albarn shooting the second video from “Cracker Island” when he received a call from his brother-in-lawwho said that Amo had just had a stroke.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 272026
Gardenia’s brother-in-law told Bobbette that Henrietta’s cells had been all over the news lately because they’d been causing problems by contaminating other cultures.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridgedbased on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary© Random HouseInc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 200220011995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
