broederbond: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Very low frequency, historical/regional term)Historical, formal, academic, South African English; often used with negative connotations.
Quick answer
What does “broederbond” mean?
A secret (or semi-secret) society of brothers.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A secret (or semi-secret) society of brothers; historically, the name for a specific Afrikaner nationalist organization in South Africa.
A fraternal organization, often with political or nationalist aims. In modern contexts, can be used metaphorically to describe any exclusive, closed group of like-minded men, particularly one perceived as operating with secrecy and shared agendas to maintain power or influence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Neither term is common in everyday speech. In academic/historical writing, both use it identically to refer to the South African group. US speakers might be slightly less familiar with it.
Connotations
Strongly negative connotations of racism and secretive power-brokering in both regions when referring to the historical society. Generic use is extremely rare.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both, but marginally higher in UK due to historical Commonwealth ties to South Africa.
Grammar
How to Use “broederbond” in a Sentence
The [Adjective] Broederbonda broederbond of [Noun (profession/ideology)]accused of being a broederbondVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “broederbond” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The term is not used as a verb.
American English
- The term is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- The term is not used as an adverb.
American English
- The term is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- Broederbond-like (He exhibited a Broederbond-like mentality.)
American English
- broederbond tactics (They were known for their broederbond tactics.)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorically: 'The board of directors was accused of operating like a corporate broederbond, making all major decisions behind closed doors.'
Academic
Historical analysis: 'The Broederbond played a crucial, though often covert, role in shaping apartheid-era policies.'
Everyday
Almost never used in casual conversation. A highly educated speaker might use it metaphorically: 'That men's club is a bit of a broederbond.'
Technical
Specific to South African history and political science.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “broederbond”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “broederbond”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “broederbond”
- Misspelling: 'brotherbond', 'broederbond'.
- Mispronouncing: stressing the second syllable.
- Overusing as a synonym for any group; it carries heavy contextual weight.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a loanword from Afrikaans (itself from Dutch) that is used in English, particularly in historical and South African contexts. It is not a common everyday English word.
Extremely rarely. Due to its primary association with the secretive, racially exclusive Afrikaner Broederbond, it almost always carries negative or critical connotations of secrecy, exclusivity, and undue influence.
The first syllable rhymes with 'could' (BROO-duh-bond). The 'oe' is pronounced like the 'oo' in 'book'. The 'r' is pronounced, and the final 'd' is a hard 'd'.
Historically and etymologically, yes ('broeder' means brother). Its metaphorical extension almost always implies a male-dominated group, similar to 'old boys' network'. A gender-neutral synonym would be 'cabal' or 'inner circle'.
A secret (or semi-secret) society of brothers.
Broederbond is usually historical, formal, academic, south african english; often used with negative connotations. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A veritable broederbond (used to criticise an exclusive group)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'Brother + Bond' = a bond between brothers, but in a secretive, political way. Remember the double 'e' in the middle as in 'broeder' (Afrikaans for brother).
Conceptual Metaphor
AN ORGANIZATION IS A SECRET BROTHERHOOD; EXCLUSIVE POWER IS A BOND OF SECRECY.
Practice
Quiz
In modern metaphorical use, 'broederbond' best describes: