DictionaryAI

sibling

noun
USSIB-ling/ˈsɪb.lɪŋ/

Pluralsiblings

3 meanings of sibling

Practice

  1. 1
    brother or sisternouncountable
    A brother or sister: someone who has the same mother or father as you.

    Like two branches that grow from the same tree.

    My older sibling taught me how to ride a bike.

    She has three siblings, all younger than her.

    Note
  2. 2
    related speciesnouncountable
    The species that is most closely related to another, sharing the nearest common ancestor.

    Like two brothers who are the closest relatives among many cousins.

    These two frogs look the same, but they are sibling species.

    The two moths look alike, but scientists say they are sibling species.

    UsageOften in sibling species.

    Note

Less common meaning

  1. 3
    noun
    In a tree-like set of data, a piece of data that shares the same parent as another piece.

Practice

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Origin

This is a modern word from about 1903. It comes from the Old English word "sibling," meaning a relative or family member, made from "sib" plus "-ling."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts