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half sister
half-sister
noun
- the daughter of either of one's parents by another partner
Word History and Origins
Origin of half sister1
Example Sentences
A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a defamation lawsuit against Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, after her half sister accused her of spreading “disparaging, hurtful and false” statements in interviews.
Called Sally, she was Martha Jefferson’s half sister—and would one day play a significant role in Thomas Jefferson’s life.
Breasia was the half sister of Dinkins’ son, and investigators have said both children were staying the night with him at the apartment where he was living with a girlfriend.
They are Dr. Goodenough’s half sister and half brother, not his sister and brother.
Her older half sister, Gretchen Webber-Manzella, 51, recalled Amber had a tumultuous childhood in the Dominican Republic and struggled in school.
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More About Half Sister
What does half sister mean?
A half sister is a sister who is related to her sibling(s) through only one parent.
This typically means that they share only one biological parent (not both). For example, when a person’s parent has a daughter with another partner (who is not the person’s parent), the daughter is considered the person’s half sister.
The term half brother is used in the same way. Half-sibling is a gender-neutral way of saying the same thing.
In contrast, the words stepsister, stepbrother, and stepsibling refer to those who have a sibling relationship (often based on the remarriage of their parents to other partners) but who do not share a biological parent.
The word half in half sister and its related terms only refers to the biological relationship. Half sisters may have close relationships with their siblings, and many people simply call their half sister their sister.
Modifiers such as maternal and paternal are sometimes used to specify which biological parent the siblings have in common.
Example: Over the holidays, I got together with my maternal half sister and my paternal half brother and we had a great time.
Where does half sister come from?
The first records of the term half sister come from the 1100s. The word half refers to the fact that a half sister shares one biological parent with a sibling, not two. Still, half sister are considered blood relatives.
It’s not uncommon for people to have a half-sibling. This always involves one’s parent having a child with another partner. Circumstances vary, but such situations often involve the death of a parent, a separation, or a divorce.
Did you know ... ?
What are some synonyms for half sister?
What are some words that share a root or word element with half sister?
What are some words that often get used in discussing half sister?
What are some words half sister may be commonly confused with?
How is half sister used in real life?
People use terms like half brother and half sister to specify how siblings are related. A lot of people simply call their half sister their sister.
I call my half brother’s half sister my sister because my dad raised her with us https://t.co/1QXIzyG5SH
— 👸🏻 (@lilstringbeans) February 28, 2019
Recently got in contact with my half sister, still can’t believe I have a chance to be an older sister🥺💕
— DeeDee (@Debbie_Debsss) November 15, 2020
Half or full blood regardless I call them my brothers/ sisters. The term half sister has always felt weird to say
— Samantha (@heavensleche) November 13, 2020
Try using half sister!
True or False?
If a person’s mother and father got divorced and each had a daughter with another spouse, both of the daughters would be considered this person’s half sisters.
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