Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The state or relationship of being a sister or sisters.
  • noun The quality of being sisterly.
  • noun A society, especially a religious society, of women.
  • noun Association or unification of women in a common cause.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The state of being a sister; the relation of sisters; the office or duty of a sister.
  • noun Sisters collectively, or a society of sisters; in religious usage, an association of women who are bound by monastic vows or are otherwise devoted to religious work as a vocation.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The state or relation of being a sister; the office or duty of a sister.
  • noun A society of sisters; a society of women united in one faith or order; sisters, collectively.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun the state, or kinship of being sisters
  • noun the quality of being sisterly; sisterly companionship
  • noun a religious society of women

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a religious society of women who live together as sisters (especially an order of nuns)
  • noun an association or society of women who are linked together by a common religion or trade or interest
  • noun the kinship relation between a female offspring and the siblings

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

sister +‎ -hood

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Examples

  • She ranted and raved about sexism, hinting that she may be of a private "sisterhood" (I would guess this sisterhood is all white).

    Report: Clinton able to continue run by postponing debt repayment 2008

  • When women bond together in a community in such a way that "sisterhood" is created, it gives them an accepting and intimate forum to tell their stories and have them heard and validated by others.

    An Interview with Sue Monk Kidd 2010

  • The wisdom of Sarah Palin Read it, here: Our prominent woman sisterhood is telling these ...

    ProWomanProLife » The nerve 2010

  • Instead of a utopia where women live together in sisterhood, there are desperately fighting factions.

    Tides from the New Worlds: Shoah Sry « A Working Title 2009

  • January 14th, 2010 at 1: 52 pm the sisterhood is going to represent on her behalf and that it will be less close than generally anticipated.

    Matthew Yglesias » The Limits of Scott Brown 2010

  • Our prominent woman sisterhood is telling these young women that they are strong enough to deal with this, Palin said.

    ProWomanProLife » The wisdom of Sarah Palin 2010

  • How can I describe that except by saying that instead of growing used to them -- and it's a marvel for a governess: I call the sisterhood to witness!

    The Turn of the Screw 1935

  • How can I describe that except by saying that instead of growing used to them -- and it's a marvel for a governess: I call the sisterhood to witness!

    The Turn of the Screw 1898

  • How can I describe that except by saying that instead of growing used to them -- and it's a marvel for a governess: I call the sisterhood to witness!

    The Turn of the Screw Henry James 1879

  • Still others buy into the the feminist "sisterhood"--that any woman who accuses a man of rape is always telling the truth; believed for similar reasons.

    April 2007 2007

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