
A brother-in-law is a person who becomes a brother to you by marrying into the family. This could be the husband of your sibling, or the brother of your spouse. In other words, your brother-in-law is related to you by marriage, not by shared ancestry. This means that your brother-in-law is your relative, but the exact nature of your relationship with them depends on the context.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Relationship | Brother-in-law |
| Description | Brother-in-law is a relative by marriage, not by blood. |
| Examples | Husband's brother, wife's brother, sister's husband, spouse's brother, spouse's sister's husband |
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What You'll Learn

Brother-in-law: a relative by marriage
A brother-in-law is a relative by marriage. The term refers to the brother of one's spouse or the spouse of one's sibling. In other words, if your sister marries someone, her husband becomes your brother-in-law. Similarly, your spouse's brother is also your brother-in-law. This relationship is based on marriage rather than shared ancestry or blood relation.
The term "in-law" is used to indicate a distinction between family ties based on marriage and those based on shared ancestry. In-laws are people you are related to by marriage but not by blood. This means that a brother-in-law is not a biological brother with the same parents but someone who becomes a brother through marriage.
The term "brother-in-law" can have different meanings depending on the context. For example, in Indian English, the husband of one's sibling-in-law is referred to as a "co-brother". Similarly, the wife of one's sibling-in-law is called a "co-sister". These terms emphasise the reciprocal relationship between a person's spouse and their sibling's spouse.
It is important to note that the definition of a brother-in-law can vary across different cultures and languages. For example, in Islamic law (Sharia) and Jewish law (halakha), sexual relations between siblings-in-law are prohibited as incestuous unless the spouses are no longer married.
In conclusion, a brother-in-law is a relative by marriage, and the term specifically refers to the brother of one's spouse or the spouse of one's sibling. This relationship is based on marriage and is distinct from biological or blood relations. The term "in-law" helps to clarify this distinction and is used to describe a variety of relationships that are formed through marriage.
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Brother-in-law: a spouse's brother
A brother-in-law is a person who becomes your brother due to a legal marriage. The term "in-law" refers to a family relationship that is based on marriage rather than shared ancestry.
A brother-in-law is typically the brother of your spouse, i.e., your husband's or wife's brother. For example, if your brother marries someone, their spouse becomes your sister-in-law, and their spouse's brother becomes your brother-in-law.
The term can also refer to the husband of your sibling, i.e., your sister's husband. In this case, your sibling's spouse's brother would be your co-brother-in-law, a term specifically used in Indian English.
It is important to note that a brother-in-law is not related by blood but by marriage. The relationship is based on kinship or affinity, which is a type of relationship that is not directly related by blood.
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Brother-in-law: a sibling's spouse
A brother-in-law is a term used to refer to a person's brother-in-law, which can mean either the brother of their spouse or the spouse of their sibling. In the latter case, the brother-in-law is related to the person by marriage, not by shared ancestry or blood relation. This relationship is commonly referred to as a co-sibling in Indian English.
The term "in-law" is used to indicate a distinction between family ties based on marriage rather than shared ancestry. This means that a brother-in-law is a brother gained through marriage, either to oneself or one's sibling. The husband of one's sibling becomes one's brother-in-law upon marrying into the family.
It is important to note that the term "brother-in-law" does not indicate a blood relation. The brother-in-law is related to the person's spouse or sibling, but not directly to the person themselves. This type of kinship is called affinity, and it is a relationship based on marriage rather than shared genes.
In some cultures, such as Islamic law (Sharia) and Jewish law (halakha), sexual relations between siblings-in-law are prohibited as incestuous unless the spouse is no longer married. However, in Judaism, there was a custom of yibbum, where a man had the duty to marry his deceased brother's childless widow.
In summary, a brother-in-law is a term used for the brother of one's spouse or the spouse of one's sibling. The relationship is based on marriage and is distinct from blood relations or shared ancestry.
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Co-brother-in-law: a spouse's sibling's husband
The term "brother-in-law" typically refers to the brother of one's spouse or the husband of one's sibling. It is a relationship based on marriage rather than shared ancestry. In other words, a brother-in-law is someone who becomes your brother through marriage, but is not biologically related to you.
In some cultures, like Indian English, there is a specific term called "co-brother" or "co-sibling". This refers to the husband of one's sibling's spouse. In other words, it is the spouse of your brother-in-law or sister-in-law. This term recognises the reciprocal relationship between a person's spouse and their sibling's spouse.
For example, let's say you have a brother, and he is married to a woman (your sister-in-law). Your sister-in-law has a brother, who is not biologically related to you. In this context, your sister-in-law's brother would be your co-brother-in-law. He is your "co-brother-in-law" because he is the brother of your sister-in-law, creating a two-degree separation by marriage.
It is worth noting that the term "co-brother-in-law" is not universally recognised and may be considered uncommon in some cultures. The specific terminology used to describe these relationships can vary across different languages and cultures.
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Brother-in-law: not a blood relative
A brother-in-law is a person who becomes your brother due to a legal marriage, rather than shared ancestry. The use of the term "in-law" indicates that the two people are not related by blood.
Your brother-in-law can be either the brother of your spouse or the spouse of your sibling. In the latter case, your brother-in-law is related to you by a type of kinship called affinity, which is the same for all in-law relationships. This means that your brother-in-law is not a blood relative, but a relative by marriage.
In English, the term "brother-in-law" is also commonly used to refer to the reciprocal relationship between a person's spouse and their sibling's spouse. In Indian English, this can be referred to as a co-sibling, specifically a co-brother for the husband of one's sibling-in-law.
It is worth noting that the term "brother-in-law" can have different meanings depending on cultural and linguistic contexts. For example, in some cultures, the term may carry different connotations or have specific cultural implications, such as in the case of Islamic law (Sharia) and Jewish law (halakha), where sexual relations between siblings-in-law are prohibited as incestuous.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, your brother-in-law is your relative. A brother-in-law is the brother of your spouse or the husband of your sibling.
Yes, your spouse's sibling is still your brother-in-law. The term "in-law" refers to a family relationship based on marriage rather than shared ancestry.
No, your brother-in-law's wife is not your relative. Only your brother-in-law is a part of your family. However, it is common to refer to your brother-in-law's wife as your sister-in-law.











































