BROTHERLY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does brotherly mean? 

• BROTHERLY (adjective)
  The adjective BROTHERLY has 1 sense:

1. like or characteristic of or befitting a brother

  Familiarity information: BROTHERLY used as an adjective is very rare.

• BROTHERLY (adverb)
  The adverb BROTHERLY has 1 sense:

1. (archaic as adverb) in a brotherly manner

  Familiarity information: BROTHERLY used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BROTHERLY (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Like or characteristic of or befitting a brother

Synonyms:

brotherlike; brotherly; fraternal

Context example:

close fraternal ties

Antonym:

sisterly (like or characteristic of or befitting a sister)

Derivation:

brother (a male with the same parents as someone else)

• BROTHERLY (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(archaic as adverb) in a brotherly manner

Domain usage:

archaicism; archaism (the use of an archaic expression)

Pertainym:

brotherly (like or characteristic of or befitting a brother)

 Context examples 

He'd better nip his little passion in the bud, hadn't he? added Laurie, in a confidential, elder brotherly tone, after a minute's silence.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Yet he gave her no hope, treating her in brotherly fashion and rarely seeing her.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Do not despair. To be friendless is indeed to be unfortunate, but the hearts of men, when unprejudiced by any obvious self-interest, are full of brotherly love and charity.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

John enters like a brother into my happiness, continued Mr. Knightley, but he is no complimenter; and though I well know him to have, likewise, a most brotherly affection for you, he is so far from making flourishes, that any other young woman might think him rather cool in her praise.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

He has also brotherly pride, which, with some brotherly affection, makes him a very kind and careful guardian of his sister, and you will hear him generally cried up as the most attentive and best of brothers.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

And Laurie put his arm about her with a brotherly gesture which was very comforting.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Acquit me here, and procure for me, when it is allowable, the acquittal and good wishes of that said Emma Woodhouse, whom I regard with so much brotherly affection, as to long to have her as deeply and as happily in love as myself.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

As the word 'brotherly' passed through his mind in one of his reveries, he smiled, and glanced up at the picture of Mozart that was before him...

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

"You are not engaged, I hope?" and Laurie looked very elder-brotherly and grave all of a sudden.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

If Jo had not been otherwise engaged, Laurie's behavior would have amused her, for a faint twinge, not of jealousy, but something like suspicion, caused that gentleman to stand aloof at first, and observe the newcomer with brotherly circumspection.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)