brethren-in-law en · NOUN
Etymology
From Middle English breþeren in lawe, equivalent to brethren + in + law.
Meanings
-
(archaic, form-of, plural) plural of brother-in-law
form of brother-in-law
And if, occasionally, their superior position made these officers in times of emergency address their tattooed brethren-in-law in vigorous and uncomplimentary language, emphasized by a knockdown blow, no ill will was either felt on one side nor engendered on the other.
1997, David A. Chappell, Double Ghosts: Oceanian Voyagers on Euroamerican Ships, page 60:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| brethren in law | alternative | lexicographic |