What does "sibling" mean?
A person who shares a parent; one's brother or sister who one shares a parent with.
Sibling
/ˈsɪb.lɪŋ/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person who shares a parent; one's brother or sister who one shares a parent with.
- Grammar: sibling is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: sib, affiliated, agnate, akin.
- Useful contrasts: distantly related, distantly related species, nonrelative.
- Usage evidence: I've got very bad genes. Seven out of ten siblings of my grandparents died of cancer, including themselves. Three of four siblings of my parents died of the same. My only sibling, Tom, developed lung cancer a year ago. I can't help thinking when my turn is.
How to use "sibling"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "sibling" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "sibling" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "sibling" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "sibling" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "sibling" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sib" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "sibling", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person who shares a parent; one's brother or sister who one shares a parent with.
"None of my siblings are married yet."
- 2 a person's brother or sister wordnet
- 3 A node in a data structure that shares its parent with another node.
- 4 The most closely related species, or one of several most closely related species when none can be determined to be more closely related.
"D. simulans, D. mauritiana and D. sechellia (which we will call “the siblings” when we do not need to distinguish among them) have homosequential polytene chromosome banding patterns differing from those of D. melanogaster by one long inversion on chromosome arm 3R and a few much smaller inversions."
Antonyms
Example
"I've got very bad genes. Seven out of ten siblings of my grandparents died of cancer, including themselves. Three of four siblings of my parents died of the same. My only sibling, Tom, developed lung cancer a year ago. I can't help thinking when my turn is."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "sibling"?
Common synonyms include: sib, affiliated, agnate, akin, allied, ancestry.
How do you use "sibling" in a sentence?
I've got very bad genes. Seven out of ten siblings of my grandparents died of cancer, including themselves. Three of four siblings of my parents died of the same. My only sibling, Tom, developed lung cancer a year ago. I can't help thinking when my turn is.
How do you pronounce "sibling"?
Pronounced /ˈsɪb.lɪŋ/.
Etymology
First use appears c. 1903, a modern revival of Old English sibling (“relative, a relation, kinsman”), equivalent to sib + -ling. Compare Middle English siblynges pl, sib, sibbe (“relative; kinsman”), German Sippe. The term apparently meant merely kin or relative until the 20th century when it was applied in a way that aided the study of genetics, which led to its specialized use. For example, the OED has a citation in 1902 in which sibling must be defined for those who do not know the intended meaning.