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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

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

sister Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • marry: Three of these brothers ( William, Thomas & Zachariah ) married three sisters ( Nettie, Amanda & Eva Timm ).

Adjective modifier

  • ugly: She used the ugly sisters to kidnap the Prince because they would do anything to ruin Cinderella's life.

Noun used with modifier

  • spinster: Someone is needed to interview two spinster sisters in their nineties for a research project in Social History and Folklore.

Possessives

  • boyfriend: They only know one, and it's Danny's sister's boyfriend, Ian.

Possessives

  • mother: You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother's sister, for she is your mother's near kinswoman.
sister usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

sister quotes

Certes, je sortirai quant a'   moi satisfait D'un monde o  u' l'action n'est pas la soeur du re"  ve. Indeed, for my part, I shall be happy to leave A world where action is not sister to the dream.

-Baudelaire, Charles

   Bless you, Sister. May all your sons be bishops!

-Behan, Brendan Francis

   A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

-Bible (Old Testament)

sister quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"sister." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/sister>

APA Style

sister. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/sister

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