Brothering

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Acting in a manner that expresses camaraderie or kinship as if relating like siblings; supporting or associating closely as a member of a group sharing common bonds; behaving with fraternal warmth and cooperation toward others
2. Demonstrating behaviors typical of sibling relationships such as mutual aid and loyalty; fostering a sense of brotherhood among peers or community members; engaging in acts that signify close companionship and solidarity
3. Exhibiting traits of a brotherly connection by promoting unity, assistance, and shared identity; creating a fraternal atmosphere through supportive interactions; embracing roles that imply familial-like affiliation and partnership

Etymology: Brother has been a verb in English since the late Middle Ages, and "brothering" is simply the form that verb takes when it describes people acting toward one another as siblings would. The noun it comes from is ancient. It descends from a Proto-Indo-European word for "brother" that also gave rise to Latin "frater" and Ancient Greek "phrātēr," and its cognates run through nearly every Germanic language, from German "Bruder" and Dutch "broeder" to Swedish "bror" and Gothic "brōþar." The verb sense grew out of the noun in the ordinary way English turns nouns into verbs, so "brothering" carries the everyday meaning of the noun into action. Its arrival is a matter of usage rather than any single documented coinage, so there is no famous first use to point to.

Synonyms: bonding, befriending, fraternizing

Antonyms: alienating, excluding, isolating