Sibling

Definition

Sibling refers to a person's brother or sister, indicating a relationship of being born to the same parents or, in broader terms, indicating individuals sharing a common ancestor.

Parts of Speech

• Noun

Pronunciation

American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈsɪblɪŋ/
• Respelling: SIB-ling

British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈsɪblɪŋ/
• Respelling: SIB-ling

In both dialects, "sibling" starts with an "s" sound as in "see," followed by a short "i" sound as in "bit." The "b" sound is just like in "bat," and the "ling" ending is pronounced with a short "i" sound as in "bit" followed by a "ng" sound as in "ring." The main differences between various English accents might be in the quality of the vowels and the intonation, but for "sibling," these differences are minimal and mostly consistent across major varieties of English.

Etymology

The term "sibling" is derived from Old English, from "sib" or "sibb" which refers to kinship or relationship, and the suffix “-ling” indicating a diminutive or smaller version, or sometimes denoting younger kin.

Derivatives

• Siblinghood
• Siblingship
• Half-sibling
• Step-sibling
• Sibling rivalry

Synonyms

• Brother/sister
• Sib
• Kin

Antonyms

None

Usage

The term "sibling" is utilized to describe a relationship of brothers and/or sisters by blood, or in a broader sense, those related by common ancestry. It's commonly employed in familial and genealogical contexts.

Related Terms

• Family
• Kinship
• Lineage
• Ancestry
• Descendant

Detailed Definition

Noun

• Blood Relation: A sibling is a term used to refer to individuals sharing the same biological parents.
• Example: My sibling and I visited our grandparents.

• Broad Relation: In a broader or extended sense, the term can be employed to indicate a relationship through common ancestry.
• Example: Studying the genealogy revealed they were siblings through a shared ancestor.