Definition of fraternity

The origin of the word "fraternity" can be traced back to medieval Europe, where it referred to the bond between male siblings who shared a common ancestry. The Latin word "fraternitas" literally means "brotherhood," which was adopted into Old French as "fraternite" before making its way into Middle English as "fraternitee" in the 14th century. However, the use of the term "fraternity" to describe social organizations initially bore a different meaning. In the early 17th century, it was applied to groups of priests who lived together in a joint abode, called a "fraternity house." Eventually, the term expanded in scope to refer to any group of people with a common interest or goal, such as a professional association or a club. In the United States, the usage of "fraternity" in reference to social fraternal organizations for college men became widespread in the mid-19th century, originally known as "Greek letter societies." The National Interfraternity Conference (NIC), which represents over 70 such fraternities, defines a fraternity as "an independent, self-governing society of men associated together around a common intellectual, academic, or cultural mission." Thus, the modern-day connotation of fraternity centers around the interconnectedness between like-minded individuals who share a common allegiance and strive to uphold the values and beliefs that the organization embodies.