Also 6 confreer, 7 -frier. [ME. confrere (cf. frere, Friar), a. F. confrere (13th c. in Littré) = Pr. confraire, Cat. confrare, Sp. co(n)frade, It. confrate, med.L. confrāter, f. con- together with + frāter brother. As a naturalized Eng. word it appears to have become obs. in 17th c.; but it has been taken back into frequent use as a borrowing from mod. French, and is usually written confrère.]
† 1. A fellow-member of a fraternity, religious order, college, guild, etc., a colleague in office.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xvi. 227. That come in Scotland wyth confrere, The kyng of Inglandis tresorere.
c. 1464. Paston Lett., No. 496, II. 170. Your confrerys of this holy Ordre.
1540. Act 32 Hen. VIII., c. 24. Any of his bretherne or confreres of the hospitall … of saint John of Jerusalem.
1600. Holland, Livy, III. xxxii. 109. C. Horatius Pulvillus … in whose roome the Augurs (his confreers) chose C. Veturus.
1631. Weever, Anc. Fun. Mon., 113. None of the Brethren or Confriers of the said Religion … should be called Knights of the Rhodes.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 53/2. A … Companion, or Co-Brother, and confrere Knight.
ǁ 2. A fellow-member of a learned profession, scientific body, or the like. [From mod.F.]
1753. Torriano, Sore Throats, 111. The Dissertation of M. Chomel, our Confrere or Brother, upon the gangrenous sore Throats.
1764. Bevis, in Phil. Trans., LV. 130. Father Boschowick … sent me a very high character of his confrere’s … assiduity, and abilities for astronomical observations.
1876. Holland, Sev. Oaks, xxiv. 332. Mr. Belcher … turned the cold shoulder to his confreres.
1881. Dr. Gheist, 184. Without handicapping our confrères in this way.
