own brother

[navi tasan]

Is 'own brother' a synonym for 'full brother'?

I have a memory of reading somewhere that 'own brother' meant 'full brother'. The term 'own brothers' can be found in google books, but I am not sure that is what it means.

Does the term exist?
Does it mean 'full brother' or something else?

I looked up 'own' in few dictionaries and didn't find that meaning.

 

[Skrej]

It carries no special meaning beyond showing possession. See adjective definition 2.

It has nothing do to with half or full brotherhood.

 

[teechar]

Is 'own brother' a synonym for 'full brother'?

No.

I have a memory of remember reading somewhere that 'own brother' means 'full brother'.

Where?

The term 'own brothers' can be found in google books, but I am not sure that is what it means.

Give us a sentence!

Does the term exist?

You just said it does!

Does it mean 'full brother' or something else?

See above.

I looked up 'own' in few dictionaries and didn't find that meaning.

It can be used in an emphatic sense:

He was swindled by his own brother(s).

Does that help?

 

[navi tasan]

Thank you both very much,

I think I have made a mistake. My apologies.

As I said, I had found the expression 'an own brother' in google books. It might be very old-fashioned. It might have a religious meaning. I don't know. But it is clear that I am not on the right track. I am sorry.

"an own brother " - Google Search

 

[Barque]

But it is clear that I am not on the right track.

You are, partly.

In many cultures in the Indian subcontinent, cousins of the same generation are considered almost like brothers and sisters, and many Indian languages use "brother" and "sister" for them too. If an Indian or a Pakistani says "My brother" in English, he could well mean a cousin, who could also be called a "cousin brother".

So people sometimes use terms like "own brother" and "cousin brother", as they don't realise that in English, a cousin isn't considered a brother. An "own brother" is a regular brother, a male sibling. The word "own" clarifies that he isn't a cousin but born to the same parents.

So yes, the term exists here. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a similar practice in Central Asia or the Middle East.