sister Hear it!

sister Definition

sis·ter (sis′tər)

noun

  1. a woman or girl as she is related to the other children of her parents: sometimes also used of animals
  2. a woman or girl related to one by having a parent in common; half sister
  3. a stepsister
  4. a foster sister
  5. a close female friend who is like a sister
  6. a female fellow member of the same race, church, profession, organization, etc. sorority sister, soul sister
  7. a member of a female religious community, usually one with simple vows
  8. something associated with another of the same kind, model, etc.
  9. Brit. a nurse, esp. a head nurse
  10. Informal any woman: often used as a familiar term of address

Etymology: ME < ON systir (akin to OE sweoster > dial. suster), akin to Ger schwester < IE *swesor-, sister (> Sans svasar, L soror, OIr siur) < *sewe-, (one's) own, refl. pron. (see suicide) + *sor-, woman: hence, lit., woman of our (family)

adjective

related or seeming to be related as sisters

sister Synonyms

sister

n.

  1. A female relative having the same parents

    sibling, female sibling, stepsister, half sister, foster sister, big sister, kid sister, sis; see also relative.

  2. A sister by religious profession

    nun, member of a sisterhood, deaconess.

  3. A female member of a group

    associate, co-worker, companion.

sister Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • marry: Three of these brothers ( William, Thomas & Zachariah ) married three sisters ( Nettie, Amanda & Eva Timm ).
  • scissor: I think scissor sisters will be around for a while to come yet.

Adjective modifier

  • elder: Bogie finds, several murders later, that he has fallen in love with her elder sister.
  • twin: Has a twin sister who she very rarely communicates with.
  • eldest: The eldest sister, a very fine girl, never raised her large eyes once toward me.
  • ugly: She used the ugly sisters to kidnap the Prince because they would do anything to ruin Cinderella's life.
  • loving: Beloved wife of the late Thomas Dickson, dearly loved mother of Dorothy and loving sister to Elizabeth, Janet, Agnes and James.
  • married: Barstow was away on 10 day's leave up at Cameron Highlands with a married sister.

Modifies a noun

  • ship: Some even served on HMS Cavalier or her sister ships.
  • destroyer: A sister destroyer is dispatched to assist but neither is in danger of sinking.
  • Isabella: He died in France before 13 September 1262, and as his son John died an infant, his sister Isabella succeeded him.

Noun used with modifier

  • Bronte: It's tantamount, really, to imagining Bill Clinton as celibate, William Hague as hip or Jackie Collins as a Bronte sister.
  • spinster: Someone is needed to interview two spinster sisters in their nineties for a research project in Social History and Folklore.
  • ward: However, if you do not wish to be seen by medical students please tell the ward sister or charge nurse.
  • nursing: Citations are very occasionally given in full in the Gazette ( e.g. for some nursing sisters who received the MM ).
  • my: Charlie added: My sister Cheryl is currently in hospital in Pennsylvania after undergoing routine surgery.
  • baby: Then matters went from bad to worse - a baby sister was born.

Possessives

  • boyfriend: They only know one, and it's Danny's sister's boyfriend, Ian.
  • husband: Our party was enlarged by the presence of my sister's future husband.

Possessives

mother: You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is your mother's near kinswoman.