sister

[ sis-ter ]

noun

1. a female offspring having both parents in common with another offspring; female sibling.
2. Also called half sister. a female offspring having only one parent in common with another offspring.
3. stepsister.
4. a female friend or protector regarded as a sister.
5. a thing regarded as feminine and associated as if by kinship with something else:

   The ships are sisters.

6. a female fellow member, as of a church.
7. a female member of a religious community that observes the simple vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
8. British. a nurse in charge of a hospital ward; head nurse.
9. Informal. a term used to refer to or address a fellow Black woman; soul sister.
10. a woman who supports, promotes, or participates in feminism.
11. Informal. a form of address used to a woman or girl, especially jocularly or contemptuously:

    Listen, sister, you've had enough.

adjective

1. being or considered a sister; related by or as if by sisterhood:

   sister ships.

2. having a close relationship with another because of shared interests, problems, or the like:

   We correspond with school children in our sister city.

3. Biochemistry. being one of an identical pair.

sister

/ ˈsɪstə /

noun

1. a female person having the same parents as another person
2. See half-sister stepsister
3. a female person who belongs to the same group, trade union, etc, as another or others
4. informal.
   a form of address to a woman or girl, used esp by Black people in the US
5. a senior nurse
6. RC Church a nun or a title given to a nun
7. a woman fellow member of a Church or religious body
8. modifier belonging to the same class, fleet, etc, as another or others

   a sister ship

9. modifier biology denoting any of the cells or cell components formed by division of a parent cell or cell component

   sister nuclei

Other Words From

• sister·less adjective
• sister·like adjective
• non·sister noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sister¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English (noun) from Old Norse systir; cognate with Old English sweoster, Dutch zuster, German Schwester, Gothic swistar; akin to Serbo-Croatian sèstra, Lithuanian sesuõ, Latin soror (from unattested swesor ), Old Irish siur, Welsh chwaer, Sanskrit svasar “sister,” Greek éor “daughter, niece”

Word History and Origins

Origin of sister¹

Old English sweostor; related to Old Norse systir, Old High German swester, Gothic swistar

Example Sentences

By the time Sister Barnes accuses her captor of touting a magic trick as a miracle and Sister Paxton discovers the caged women, the film reveals its own deception.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a trait you see in her performance as Sister Agnes, who composes herself with a quiet power.

From Los Angeles Times

Popular musician and human rights activist Sister Derby has thrown her weight behind Buz Stop Boys, praising the activists on her Instagram and X accounts.

From BBC

It never condescends to Sisters Barnes and Paxton and they always have sound rebuttals at the ready; they are also observant, smart and canny.

From Los Angeles Times

Scissor Sisters, one of pop's most colourful bands, have announced they are reuniting, 12 years after declaring an "indefinite hiatus" live on stage.

From BBC

Related Words

• relative
• twin