Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

sister-in-law

/ˈsɪs.tɚ.ɪn.lɔ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.83 in modern English

Syllables: sis-ter-in-law
IPA: /ˈsɪs.tɚ.ɪn.lɔ/

14

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A female relative of one's generation, separated by one degree of marriage:

noun

A female relative of one's generation, separated by one degree of marriage:

noun

Co-sister-in-law: The wife of one's sibling-in-law.

noun

Co-sister-in-law: The wife of one's sibling-in-law.

Example Sentences

"Though they are not twins, my sister-in-law resembles my wife in almost every way."
"My sister-in-law and my brother met while they were both on vacation in Jamaica."

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English suster-in-lawe; equivalent to sister + -in-law.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: suster-in-lawe
Suffix: sister

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈsɪs.tɚ.ɪn.lɔ/
British English: /ˈsɪs.tə.ɪn.lɔː/

Subject

Wiktionary places this term in Law.

Inflected Forms

sisters-in-law (plural) sister-in-laws (colloquial, nonstandard)

Phrases

half sister-in-law co-sister-in-law brother-in-law daughter-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law

Frequently Paired Words

brother-in-law daughter-in-law father-in-law mother-in-law son-in-law

Synonyms

bahu Bhabhi

Questions

How do you pronounce sister-in-law?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈsɪs.tɚ.ɪn.lɔ/.
What does sister-in-law mean?: A female relative of one's generation, separated by one degree of marriage:
Where does sister-in-law come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce sister-in-law

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “sister-in-law”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈsɪs.tɚ.ɪn.lɔ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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