fraternity
fruh-TUR-nuh-tee
/frəˈtɜːrnəti/
A social, academic, or professional organization for male university students, formed for mutual aid, leadership, and camaraderie.
Primarily designates a male collegiate social house, but can also describe any close-knit group sharing a common trade or belief.
The story behind the word. Rooted in Latin 'frater' (brother), the word passed through Old French 'fraternite' to describe medieval religious brotherhoods. In 18th-century North America, American college students adopted the term for Greek-letter social clubs.
Word relationships
- brotherhood: Brotherhood refers to the abstract feeling or emotional bond of unity, whereas fraternity refers to the formal organization itself.
- sorority: Sorority refers specifically to a collegiate organization for women.
Commonly confused with
- sorority: A fraternity historically consists of male students, while a sorority consists of female students.
Word family
- fraternal (adjective): Brotherly or characteristic of brothers.
- fraternize (verb): To associate with others in a friendly or brotherly manner.
Collocations
- join a fraternity
- fraternity house
- fraternity chapter
- fraternity president
Example sentences
- "The national fraternity celebrated its centennial anniversary by hosting a campus-wide leadership conference." University administration
- "He belonged to a fraternity that prized academic excellence above all else." Literature citation
Memory hook
Think of FRATER, which is Latin for brother; a fraternity is a brotherhood of students. Brotherhood in college life
When not to use
Do not use for a female-only campus organization; use sorority instead.
Fun facts
- The first American college fraternity was Phi Beta Kappa, founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary as an academic honor society.
Related words
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