sister-in-law

noun

sis·​ter-in-law ˈsi-st(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ How to pronounce sister-in-law (audio)
-tərn-ˌlȯ
plural sisters-in-law ˈsi-stər-zən-ˌlȯ How to pronounce sister-in-law (audio)
1
: the sister of one's spouse
2
a
: the wife of one's sibling
b
: the wife of one's spouse's sibling

Examples of sister-in-law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Scott's brother, Joe Peterson, and his sister-in-law, Janey Peterson, attended the hearing. Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, in Texas, Kate’s sister-in-law Meghan makes an appearance at SXSW, on International Women’s Day, about online bullying and cultural depictions of motherhood. Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Two days later, conducting a search of their own, Baker, her husband and sister-in-law found Amy Baker’s body in a wooded area near the interstate. Olivia Diaz, Washington Post, 9 Mar. 2024 Anant’s sister Isha and sister-in-law Shloka also supported their mother and future sister-in-law. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 Nelson’s sister-in-law, Betsy Merckens, is the manager of the coffee shop. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024 Truck driver dies after trying to escape the flames Truck driver Cindy Owens was working about 50 miles north of Pampa, Texas, on Tuesday when she became caught in the Smokehouse Creek Fire, her sister-in-law told CNN. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 In the psychological family melodrama Brothers, Gyllenhaal plays Tommy, an ex-con who takes care of his sister-in-law Grace (Natalie Portman) after his brother Sam (Tobey Maguire) goes missing in action in Afghanistan. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 Because of questions like this, Yocum and her husband are considering transferring their frozen embryo out of state to Hawaii, where her sister-in-law is a physician's assistant in a fertility clinic. Maressa Brown, Parents, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sister-in-law.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sister-in-law was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near sister-in-law

Cite this Entry

“Sister-in-law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sister-in-law. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sister-in-law

noun
sis·​ter-in-law
ˈsis-t(ə-)rən-ˌlȯ,
-tərn-ˌlȯ
plural sisters-in-law
-tər-zən-
1
: the sister of one's spouse
2
a
: the wife of one's brother
b
: the wife of one's spouse's brother

More from Merriam-Webster on sister-in-law

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