CONFRATERNITY


Meaning of CONFRATERNITY in English

— confraternal , adj.

/kon'freuh terr"ni tee/ , n. , pl. confraternities .

1. a lay brotherhood devoted to some purpose, esp. to religious or charitable service.

2. a society or organization, esp. of men, united for some purpose or in some profession.

[ 1425-75; late ME confraternite confraternitas, deriv. of confrater (see CONFRERE), on the model of L fraternitas FRATERNITY ]

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .