sis|ter

sis|ter «SIHS tuhr», noun, adjective.

–n.

1. a) a daughter of the same parents or parent. A girl is a sister to the other children of her parents or parent. b) a half sister or stepsister.

2. a close friend or companion.

3. Figurative. a person or thing resembling or closely connected with another: »

Its smaller sister, the IRBM (intermediate range ballistic missile), could, at ranges of 600 to 1,500 miles, bombard many of the cities and airfields of Western Europe (Hanson W. Baldwin). Happiness and Intelligence are seldom sisters (Thomas Love Peacock).

4. a woman member of the same church, society, or other group: »

a sorority sister.

5. a member of a religious sisterhood or order of women; nun. Abbr: Sr.

6. British. a) a head nurse. b) a nurse.

–adj.

being a sister; related as if by sisterhood: »

a sister ship.

╂[< Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic systir)]

Usage Sister is sometimes used alone as a word of address in very informal or nonstandard English as a substitute for “Miss” or “Madam”: »

Look, sister, I've told you the price three times now; it won't be less next time you ask.