1
: a female who has one or both parents in common with another
2
often capitalized
a
: a member of a women's religious order (as of nuns or deaconesses)
especially
: one of a Roman Catholic congregation under simple vows
b
: a girl or woman who is a member of a Christian church
3
a
: a girl or woman regarded as a comrade
b
: a girl or woman who shares with another a common national or racial origin
especially
: a Black girl or woman
4
: one that is closely similar to or associated with another
sister cities
5
chiefly British
: nurse
7
: a member of a sorority
Examples of sister in a Sentence
The sisters live in the convent.
Recent Examples on the Web
Talk about the purrfect way to start the day!
Crush, a cat from Frederick Maryland, has an important job every morning when his baby sister Cora wakes up: Bedhead groomer!
—
Kendall Malinchock, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
These days, most Nero Wolfe books are out of print and Rex Stout is largely forgotten—if not by his loyal fan club, the Wolfe Pack—but a whole lot of people are talking about his sister.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
An Alabama man has been charged with murder after an argument with his sister turned deadly.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025
As the daughter, sister, cousin and granddaughter of Church of England ministers, Austen was certainly aware of the tradition.
—Margie Burns, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sister
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Kendall Malinchock, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2025
These days, most Nero Wolfe books are out of print and Rex Stout is largely forgotten—if not by his loyal fan club, the Wolfe Pack—but a whole lot of people are talking about his sister.
—Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
An Alabama man has been charged with murder after an argument with his sister turned deadly.
—Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025
As the daughter, sister, cousin and granddaughter of Church of England ministers, Austen was certainly aware of the tradition.
—Margie Burns, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sister
Cite this Entry
“Sister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sister. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sister
noun
sis·ter
ˈsis-tər 
1
: a female who has one or both parents in common with another individual
2
often capitalized
: a member of a religious community of women : nun
3
a
: a fellow female member of a group
b
: a girl or woman who shares a common national or racial origin with another
4
: one that is closely similar to or associated with another
sister schools
sister ships
5
chiefly British
: nurse entry 1 sense 2
sisterly
adjective or adverb
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