DictionaryAI

brother-in-law

noun
SayBRUTH-ur-in-law/ˈbɹʌðɚ ɪn ˌlɔ/UK/ˈbɹʌðəɹ ɪn ˌlɔː/

Pluralbrothers-in-law

4 meanings of brother-in-law

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    The brother of your husband or wife.

    When I married Lisa, her brother Sam became my brother-in-law.

    My brother-in-law taught me to drive. He is my wife's youngest brother.

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncountable
    A man who is married to your sister or brother.

    My sister married Tom last year, so now Tom is my brother-in-law.

    Our brother-in-law took us fishing. He has been part of the family since he married my big sister.

  3. 3
    nouncountable
    The man married to your husband's or wife's brother or sister.

    When my wife's sister married Dan, he became my brother-in-law.

    My brother-in-law, my husband's sister's husband, helped us move into our new apartment.

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    nounrarecountable
    The brother of the person your brother or sister married.

    My sister married Luis, so his brother Marco is now my brother-in-law.

    Ana married my brother last year, and her brother Leo, my new brother-in-law, plays soccer with me now.

    Note

Use it in a sentence

Write your own sentence with brother-in-law, and AI will tell you whether it fits and which meaning you used.

Origin

From Middle English brother-in-lawe, made from 'brother' plus '-in-law'.