Co-sister-in-law
Alternative forms
- Karnataka, Tamil Nadu co-sister
Origin
- + sister-in-law.
Full definition of co-sister-in-law
Noun
co-sister-in-law
(plural co-sisters-in-law)- One's husband's brother's wife; or more generally one's spouse's sister-in-law, the sister of one spouse in relation to the siblings of the other spouse.
- (in the plural) The relationship between women who marry brothers
- 1979, Language, Context, and the Imagination, Russian word Yátrov', for the husband's brother's wife or co-sister-in-law, so diagnostic a status within the patrilocal household, has passed entirely out of the language.
- 2006, Kalipatnam Rama Rao, C.L.L. Jayaprada (trans.), Yagnam and Other Stories, At first the wench's second co-sister-in-law and the middle sister-in-law got into it.
- One's brother-in-law or sister-in-law's sister; that is, one's sibling's spouse's sister (one's sister's husband's sister or one's brother's wife's sister).
- (in the plural) The relationship between women whose brother and sister are married to each other
Usage notes
Generally used in translation, or in countries such as India (Andhra Pradesh) where the local language makes the distinction. In common speech in traditionally English-speaking countries, sister-in-law may be used.
The primary usage is for one's husband's brother's wife.
Synonyms
- (secondary sense) co-aunt (in relation to a common niece or nephew)