noun

fraternity

fruh-TUR-nuh-tee/frəˈtɜːrnəti/

A fellowship of people united by shared interests.

The fraternity members gather on their house's steps wearing matching Greek-letter emblems.

Three college-aged men socialize on the front steps of a fraternity house, with matching Greek-letter emblems on their sweatshirts and the house plaque identifying an organized collegiate group rather than unrelated friends.

Etymology

The pieces express “brotherhood”: a group united as brothers rather than necessarily related by birth. English used the word for men associated by common interests before it acquired its college-organization sense.

In context

Family History Fanatics50:32

So that taps into um university special collections, university cataloges, alumni list, alumni magazines. You could also look at sorority historical information because maybe they joined a sorority or a fraternity.

MYTH BUSTED: Why the 1960s Weren’t the Start for Women in College.

More examples

The sailing fraternity gathers each spring for the harbor cleanup.
She belongs to a worldwide fraternity of wildlife photographers.
Several campus fraternities organize a food drive together.

Forms

fraternity · fraternities

fraternal adjective — Showing fellowship or mutual support among people.

Similar words

fellowship: Emphasizes friendly companionship and support rather than group membership.
association: Usually names a formally organized group with shared goals.
brotherhood: Stresses close bonds and loyalty, often among men.