English
sister
see also: Sister
Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈsɪs.tə/
  • (GA) enPR: sĭs'tər, IPA: /ˈsɪs.tɚ/
Noun

sister (plural sisters)

  1. A daughter of the same parents as another person; a female sibling.
    My sister is always driving me crazy.
  2. A female member of a religious order; especially one devoted to more active service; (informally) a nun.
    Michelle left behind her bank job and became a sister at the local convent.
  3. Any butterfly in the genus Adelpha, so named for the resemblance of the dark-colored wings to the black habit traditionally worn by nuns.
  4. (British) A senior or supervisory nurse, often in a hospital.
  5. Any woman or girl with whom a bond is felt through common membership of a race, profession, religion or organization, such as feminism.
    Connie was very close to her friend Judy and considered her to be her sister.
  6. (slang) A black woman.
  7. (informal) A form of address to a woman.
    What’s up, sister?
  8. A woman, in certain labour or socialist circles; also as a form of address.
    • Thank you, sister. I would like to thank the sister who just spoke.
  9. (attributively) An entity that has a special or affectionate, non-hierarchical relationship with another.
    sister publication, sister city, sister projects
  10. (comptheory) A node in a data structure that shares its parent with another node.
  11. (usually, attributively) Something in the same class.
    sister ships, sister facility
Synonyms Antonyms Related terms Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

sister (sisters, present participle sistering; past and past participle sistered)

  1. (transitive, construction) To strengthen (a supporting beam) by fastening a second beam alongside it.
    I’m trying to correct my sagging floor by sistering the joists.
  2. (obsolete, transitive) To be sister to; to resemble closely.
    • c. 1607, William Shakespeare, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, Act V, Scene 1
      Deep clerks she dumbs; and with her needle composes
      Nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry,
      That even her art sisters the natural roses;
      Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry
Translations
Sister
Noun

sister (plural sisters)

  1. Title of respect for an adult female member of a religious order.
    At the convent, Sister Grace supervises the kitchen.   Sister Jane Miller   Please welcome Sister Smith as she moves from her former congregation to her new congregation.
    Could you say a prayer for me, Sister?
  2. Title of respect for am adult female member of a fraternal/sororal organization, or comrade in a movement, or even a stranger using fictive kin.
    • 1983, Official Proceedings, Resolutions, Constitution and Merger Agreement of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Convention:
      Sister Huerta was to have been our initial speaker this morning. However, we received word later this morning that Sister Huerta would be unable to attend our convention.
  3. A title used to personify or respectfully refer to concepts or animals.
    Native American leader Chief Seattle urged ecological responsibility, referring to Brother Eagle and Sister Sky in his purported 1854 speech.   I honor you, Sister Bear, and I will make use of your fur to keep warm.
Synonyms Related terms

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