brother-in-law

noun

broth·​er-in-law ˈbrə-t͟hər-ən-ˌlȯ How to pronounce brother-in-law (audio)
ˈbrət͟h-rən-,
ˈbrə-t͟hərn-
plural brothers-in-law ˈbrə-t͟hərz-ən- How to pronounce brother-in-law (audio)
1
: the brother of one's spouse
2
a
: the husband of one's sibling
b
: the husband of one's spouse's sibling

Examples of brother-in-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
His brother-in-law, Kit (Yu), also in the fire service, holds Fan personally responsible, which causes inevitable friction when Fan is recalled into the fold to advise on the current escalating crisis. James Marsh, Deadline, 1 Nov. 2024 Her brother-in-law, Tony West, who has been acting as a close adviser, is chief legal officer for Uber. Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 30 Oct. 2024 Her husband was in left field, her brother-in-law was also on the team. Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2024 Her husband was in left field; her brother-in-law was also on the team. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brother-in-law 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brother-in-law was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near brother-in-law

Cite this Entry

“Brother-in-law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brother-in-law. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brother-in-law

noun
broth·​er-in-law
ˈbrət͟h-(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ,
ˈbrət͟h-ərn-ˌlȯ
plural brothers-in-law
ˈbrət͟h-ər-zən-
1
: the brother of one's spouse
2
: the husband of one's sibling or of one's spouse's sibling

More from Merriam-Webster on brother-in-law

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!