Brethren

Specific use of brethren as a semantic loan from German Brüder.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɹɛðɹən/

• Audio (US):

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Brethren pl (plural only)

1. (Protestantism) Members of any congregation in the Anabaptist tradition of the Schwarzenau Brethren, practicing credobaptism and committed to nonresistance and nonviolence, some of whom may wear plain dress and shun modern technology.
2. (specifically) Members of the Church of the Brethren.

Often used attributively, as in My uncle is a Brethren minister.