hermano

Hermano is a masculine noun in Spanish that designates a male sibling. The standard plural is hermanos, and the feminine form is hermana. It is used primarily to refer to one’s brother but can also serve in extended senses, such as addressing a close male friend or fellow member of a group, sometimes with a tone of familiarity or solidarity, for example in religious communities or informal speech.

In usage, hermano appears in familial contexts, in phrases like el hermano menor (younger brother) or la hermana mayor (older sister). It is also a common form of address within churches or fraternities, where hermano or hermanos signals kinship and community among male members, sometimes paired with titles (Hermano Juan). The word can be extended metaphorically to mean a fellow human being or ally, as in hermanos en la fe or hermanos de la causa to express solidarity.

Etymology traces hermano to Latin germanus, meaning “kin” or “related by blood,” passed into Old Spanish and evolved into the modern form. Cognates appear in other languages, such as Portuguese irmão, reflecting a shared Romance heritage.

See also: hermana, fraternal, hermano mayor.