- [countable + singular or plural verb]
a group of people sharing the same profession, interests or beliefs （有相同职业、爱好或信仰的）群体，同人；同好 members of the medical/banking/racing, etc. fraternity 医务界、银行界、赛马圈等同仁
- (also North American English, informal frat)[countable]
a club for a group of male students at an American college or university （美国男大学生的）联谊会， 兄弟会 CultureSome fraternities also have female members. The members usually live in a house together and are called Greeks, because each fraternity takes as its name two or three Greek letters, such as Lambda Delta Chi. Fraternities do charity work but are sometimes criticized for their wild parties.see also Phi Beta KappaTopics Educationc2 - [uncountable] (formal)
a feeling of friendship and support that exists between the members of a group （团体内的）情谊，兄弟般的友谊，博爱 the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity 自由、平等和博爱的理想
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French fraternite, from Latin fraternitas, from fraternus, from frater ‘brother’.