sister
UK: ˈsɪstə | US: ˈsɪstər
n. a female sibling
n. a close female friend or ally
n. a member of a religious sisterhood
The word "sister" originates from Old English sweostor, derived from Proto-Germanic swestēr, which in turn traces back to Proto-Indo-European swésōr. The root swes- denotes kinship, reflecting the word's enduring association with familial bonds. Over time, phonetic shifts simplified the spelling to "sister," while the meaning expanded metaphorically to include non-familial close relationships (e.g., "sisterhood").
My younger sister just started high school.
She’s been like a sister to me since childhood.
The nuns at the convent refer to each other as sisters.
We stand in solidarity with our sisters fighting for equality.
Sister Margaret runs the local charity organization.