fraternity

[ fruh-tur-ni-tee ]
/ frəˈtɜr nɪ ti /

noun, plural fra·ter·ni·ties.

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.
a group of persons associated by or as if by ties of brotherhood.
any group or class of persons having common purposes, interests, etc.: the medical fraternity.
an organization of laymen for religious or charitable purposes; sodality.
the quality of being brotherly; brotherhood: liberty, equality, and fraternity.
the relation of a brother or between brothers.

Origin of fraternity

1300–50; Middle English fraternite < Latin frāternitās. See fraternal, -ity

OTHER WORDS FROM fraternity

in·ter·fra·ter·ni·ty, adjective non·fra·ter·ni·ty, noun, plural non·fra·ter·ni·ties.

Example sentences from the Web for fraternity

British Dictionary definitions for fraternity

fraternity
/ (frəˈtɜːnɪtɪ) /

noun plural -ties

a body of people united in interests, aims, etc the teaching fraternity Gender-neutral form: community
brotherhood
US and Canadian a secret society joined by male students, usually functioning as a social club