brother-out-law

English

Etymology

From brother +‎ -out-law, by analogy to brother-in-law.

Noun

brother-out-law (plural brothers-out-law)

1. The brother of one's boyfriend or girlfriend.
2. The boyfriend of one's sister or brother.
   • c. 1592 (date written), Thomas Heywood, The Foure Prentises of London, […], revised edition, London: […] Nicholas Okes, published 1632, →OCLC, signature [I4], recto:

     Eust[ace]. My brother Out-lavv, and my ovvne true brother! / Cha[rles]. For euer thus let vs embrace each other.

   • 2013, Virendra Pandit, The Biology of History-Ascent of Women, →ISBN, page 481:

     The Church, therefore, decided to declare Richard a brother-out-law and condemned him.

3. The brother of one's ex-spouse.
   • 2018, Eric Baysinger, Brother-out-Law, →ISBN, page 69:

     Going home and hanging out with his daughter and brother-in-law, Ex-brother-in-law? Brother-out-law? seemed a whole lot better than whatever was going to happen inside that restaurant.

Coordinate terms

• brother-in-law

Related terms

• daughter-out-law
• father-out-law
• mother-out-law
• sister-out-law
• son-out-law