Pl. brothers-german (formerly brethren-). [f. BROTHER sb. + GERMAN.] A brother through both parents; a ‘whole’ brother.

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  Early writers also used it as = ‘brother on the mother’s side, brother-uterine’; it has been proposed in modern times to restrict it to ‘brother on the father’s side.’

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1340.  Ayenb., 146. Broþer germayn of uader and of moder.

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c. 1450.  Merlin, viii. 122. Thei be men of high lynage, and be bretheren germain.

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1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., ccxxv. 230. Karoll the grete kyng of fraunce was broder germayn of Quene Isabell kynge Edwardes moder.

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1530.  Palsgr., 201/2. Brother germayne, frere germain.

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1751.  Chambers, Cycl., s.v. German, Brother German denotes a brother both by the father’s and mother’s side.

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1882.  A. Macfarlane, Consanguinity, 8. I use the term brother-german, to denote brother on the father’s side.

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