out sister
B1Neutral to informal; can be formal in religious/title contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A female who shares one or both parents with another person; a close female friend considered as kin.
A female member of a religious community, nursing staff, or a woman in solidarity with another based on shared experiences, cause, or identity. Used in compounds to denote a counterpart or a closely related entity (e.g., sister ship, sister company).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The possessive 'our sister' can indicate biological relation, a fellow member of a group (e.g., church, sorority), or a term of endearment/solidarity, often among feminists or in activist contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. 'Sister' for a nurse is now largely archaic in both, but slightly more persistent in BrE historical context. In AmE, 'sister' may be used more frequently in sorority contexts.
Connotations
In BrE, 'Sister' as a title for a senior nurse (e.g., Ward Sister) carries professional respect, though the term 'Charge Nurse' is now often used. In AmE, 'sister' in religious contexts (nun) is very common; 'sis' as a casual term is slightly more informal in AmE.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties. The compound 'sister city' is more common in AmE; 'twin town' is the preferred BrE equivalent.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[possessive] + sister (my/our/her sister)sister + [of + NP] (sister of the mayor)sister + [to + NP] (a sister to us all)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “my sister from another mister”
- “like sister, like sister”
- “every sister has a brother she cannot tolerate”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to a closely associated company under the same parent organization (e.g., 'Our sister company in Berlin handles European logistics').
Academic
Used in feminist theory, sociology, and biology (e.g., 'sister chromatids', 'the concept of global sisterhood').
Everyday
Primarily denotes family relationship or close female friend (e.g., 'I'm going shopping with my sister').
Technical
In biology: sister cells, sister taxa. In shipping: sister ships (identical or nearly identical vessels).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- As the eldest, she felt she had to sister her younger siblings after their mother passed away.
American English
- The senior cadet was assigned to sister the new recruits during their first week.
adjective
British English
- The charity works in partnership with its sister organisation in Kenya.
American English
- They booked cabins on sister ships for the family reunion cruise.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My sister is seven years old.
- She has one brother and one sister.
- My older sister helps me with my homework.
- We visited our sister city in France last summer.
- The novel explores the complex relationship between two sisters during the war.
- Our firm is launching a joint venture with a sister company in Japan.
- The feminist movement emphasised global sisterhood and collective action.
- These sister chromatids will separate during the next phase of cell division.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'SIS' as the first three letters. A 'SIS-ter' is someone you share secrets with, just like 'sssh' – keep it between sisters.
Conceptual Metaphor
KINSHIP IS CLOSENESS; SOLIDARITY IS FAMILY (e.g., 'sister nations', 'sister in struggle').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'сестра' (sestra) which ONLY means female sibling or nurse. The extended meanings (company, ship) do not translate directly and require paraphrase (e.g., 'родственная компания', 'однотипное судно').
- The affectionate/colloquial 'sis' has no direct Russian equivalent; 'сестрёнка' is close but more diminutive.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'sister' for a female cousin (incorrect in English).
- Overusing 'sister' in professional translations for metaphoric relationships where 'counterpart' or 'affiliate' is more accurate.
- Misspelling as 'sister' is rare, but confusion with 'cistern' in dictation.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'sister' used in a technical, non-familial sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is commonly used metaphorically to denote closeness, solidarity, or an identical relationship, as in 'sister cities', 'sister ships', or calling a close friend 'sister'.
It can be. In some Christian traditions, 'Sister' is the title for a nun (e.g., Sister Mary). In British nursing, 'Sister' was a formal rank for a senior nurse in charge of a hospital ward, though this usage is now less common.
A stepsister is the daughter of one's stepparent from a previous relationship, with no biological connection. A half-sister shares one biological parent with you.
It is used attributively before a noun to indicate a close relationship or similarity between two organizations, publications, ships, etc. (e.g., 'sister magazine', 'sister school'). No comparative/superlative forms are used.