Old Portuguese

Alternative forms

• yrmão

Noun

irmão m

1. brother
   • 13th century, attributed to Alfonso X of Castile, Cantigas de Santa Maria, E codex, cantiga 382 (facsimile):

     […] el rey chamou / don manuel ſeu irmão‎

     […] the King called his brother Don Manuel

2. sibling

Descendants

Portuguese

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Old Portuguese irmão, yrmão ‎(“brother”), from Vulgar Latin germānus ‎(“brother”), from Latin germānus ‎(“of siblings”), from germen ‎(“sprout, bud”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁mn̥ ‎(“offspring, seed”), from *ǵenh₁- ‎(“to beget, to give birth”). Cognate with Galician irmán, Mirandese armano, Asturian hermanu, Spanish hermano, Aragonese chirmán and Catalan germà.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /iʁ.ˈmɐ̃w̃/
• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /iɾ.ˈmɐ̃w̃/
• Hyphenation: ir‧mão

Noun

irmão m (plural irmãos, feminine irmã, feminine plural irmãs)

1. brother (male sibling)

   O meu irmão mais velho vai casar-se.‎

   My older brother is getting married.

2. sibling (person having the same parents as another)

   Eu tenho quatro irmãos, dois irmãos e duas irmãs.‎

   I have four siblings, two brothers and two sisters.

3. brother (member of a brotherhood)

   Irmão Maynard, leia o primeiro versículo do Livro dos Armamentos.‎

   Brother Maynard, read the first verse from the Book of Armaments.

4. brother; bro (close friend)

   Esse cara é meu irmão.‎

   This guy is my brother.

Synonyms

• (male sibling): mano (familiar)
• (close friend): bróder, camarada, amigo do peito

Related terms

• germano
• hermano
• irmandade

See also

• de criação
• fraternal
• fraterno

Descendants