fraternize

English

WOTD – 6 July 2006

Alternative forms

• fraternise (non-Oxford British spelling, used in many Commonwealth countries but not Canada)

Etymology

PIE word
*bʰréh₂tēr

From French fraterniser.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹætənɑɪz/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈfɹætɚnɑɪz/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Verb

fraternize (third-person singular simple present fraternizes, present participle fraternizing, simple past and past participle fraternized)

1. (intransitive) To associate with others in a brotherly or friendly manner.
2. (intransitive) To associate as friends with an enemy, in violation of duty.
3. (intransitive) To socialize in confidentiality.
4. (intransitive) To have an intimate or sexual relationship with a forbidden party.

Related terms

• frat
• fraternal
• fraternisation / fraternization
• fraternity
• fraternizing
• fratricide

 

Translations

to associate with others in a brotherly manner

• Bulgarian: побратимявам се (pobratimjavam se)
• Catalan: fraternitzar (ca)
• Esperanto: interfratiĝi
• Finnish: veljeillä (fi)
• French: fraterniser (fr)
• German: sich verbrüdern (de)
• Maori: whakauruuru
• Polish: bratać się (pl), zbratać się (pl)
• Romanian: fraterniza (ro), înfrăți (ro)
• Russian: брататься (ru) (bratatʹsja)
• Spanish: fraternizar (es)
• Swedish: förbrödra (sv) (reflexive)

to associate as friends with an enemy

• Finnish: veljeillä (fi)
• French: fraterniser (fr)
• German: fraternisieren (de)
• Swedish: fraternisera (sv)

Portuguese

Verb

fraternize

1. inflection of fraternizar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative