■ noun
1》 the relationship between brothers.
↘a feeling of kinship and closeness.
2》 an association or community of people with a common interest, religion, or trade.
↘ N. Amer. a trade union.
Origin
ME: prob. from obs. brotherred (based on OE -rden 'condition, state'), assoc. with words ending in -hood and -head 1 .