sister-in-law

sister-in-law

See also: sister in law

English

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (General American) enPR: sĭs'tər, IPA^(key): /ˈsɪs.tɚ.ɪn.lɔ/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɪs.tə.ɪn.lɔː/
• Hyphenation: sis‧ter‧in‧law

• Audio (CA)

  (file)

Noun

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

1. A female relative of one's generation, separated by one degree of marriage:
   1. The sister of one's spouse.

      Though they are not twins, my sister-in-law resembles my wife in almost every way.

   2. The wife of one's sibling.

      My sister-in-law and my brother both met while they were on vacation in Jamaica.

2. (less common) Co-sister-in-law: The wife of one's sibling-in-law.
   1. The wife of the sibling of one's spouse.
   2. The sister of the spouse of one's sibling.

Usage notes

The plural sister-in-laws is occasionally seen, especially in American English, but this is considered incorrect by most sources; see, for example, .

Synonyms

• bahu (India)
• Bhabhi (India, Pakistan, as a title)

Hyponyms

• Ah Soh (“elder brother’s wife”) (Singapore, slang)

Derived terms

• half sister-in-law
• co-sister-in-law

Related terms

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

Translations

wife's sister

Aklanon: hipag Albanian: kunatë (sq) f Arabic: أُخْت زَوْجَة‎ f (ʾuḵt zawja), سِلْفَة‎ f (silfa) Armenian: քենի (hy) (kʿeni) Asturian: cuñada (ast) f Azerbaijani: baldız (az) Bikol Central: hipag Bulgarian: балдъза (bg) f (baldǎza) Burmese: ခယ်မ (my) (hkaima.), မရီး (my) (ma.ri:) Catalan: cunyada (ca) f Cebuano: hipag (disused), bayaw, bayaw nga babaye (sa asawa) Chamicuro: pus̈hana Chinese: Mandarin: 大姨子 (zh) (dàyízi) (wife's older sister), 姨姐 (zh) (yíjiě) (wife's older sister), 小姨子 (zh) (xiǎoyízi) (wife's younger sister) Min Nan: 大姨 (tōa-î) (wife's older sister), 姨仔 (î-á) (wife's younger sister) Czech: švagrová (cs) f Danish: svigerinde (da) c Dutch: schoonzus (nl) f, schoonzuster (nl) f Esperanto: bofratino Estonian: käli (et) Finnish: käly (fi) French: belle-sœur (fr) f Friulian: cugnade f Galician: cuñada f Georgian: ცოლიდა (colida) German: Schwägerin (de) f Alemannic German: Geschwiie f Gooniyandi: garingi Guugu Yimidhirr: dyiiral; munamuna (avoidance) Hebrew: גִּיסָה‎ f (gisá) Hungarian: sógornő (hu) Icelandic: mágkona (is) f Ido: bofratino (io) Ilocano: ipag Italian: cognata (it) f Japanese: 義姉 (ja) (gishi) (older), 義妹 (ja) (gimai) (younger), 義理の姉 (giri no ane), 義理の妹 (giri no imōto) Kashmiri: سال‎ (sāl) Korean: 형수 (ko) (hyeongsu), 계수 (ko) (gyesu), 시누이 (ko) (sinu'i), 올케 (ko) (olke), 처제 (ko) (cheoje), 처형 (ko) (cheohyeong), 동서 (ko) (dongseo) Kurdish: Central Kurdish: ژنخوشک‎ (jinxuşk) Latgalian: svaiņe Latin: glos f Latvian: svaine Lithuanian: svainė Luxembourgish: Schwéiesch f Manchu: ᠪᠠᡧᠠ (baša) (wife's younger sister), ᡴᡝᡴᡝ (keke) (wife's older sister) Mansaka: ipag Maori: auwahine (of a male) Maranao: ipag Murrinh-Patha: kartu purrima Mwani: wifi Norman: belle-soeu f Northern Sami: sivjjot Norwegian: Bokmål: svigerinne (no) m or f Nynorsk: svigerinne f, versyster f, versøster f Occitan: conhada (oc) f Pashto: خوښینه‎ f Pennsylvania German: Gschwei f Persian: خیازنه‎ (xayâzne), خیاشنه‎ (xayâšne) Polish: szwagierka (pl) f Portuguese: cunhada (pt) f Romanian: cumnată (ro) f Russian: неве́стка (ru) f (nevéstka), своя́ченица (ru) f (svojáčenica) Sardinian: connada f, connata f Scots: guid-sister Scottish Gaelic: piuthar-chèile f, piuthar-bhean f Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: сваст f, свастика f Roman: svast (sh) f, svastika (sh) f, svakinja Seri: hicmajéete (wife's older sister); himaquéte (wife's younger sister) Sicilian: cugnata (scn) f Slovak: švagriná (sk) f Slovene: svakinja (sl) f Spanish: cuñada (es) f Swedish: svägerska (sv) c Tagalog: hipag (tl) Tamil: கொழுந்தி (ta) (koḻunti) Turkish: baldız (tr) Vietnamese: chị vợ (wife's older sister), em vợ (wife's younger sister) Volapük: lüsör (vo) Walloon: bele-sour (wa) f Yindjibarndi: yarungu Zazaki: wayceni f

husband's sister

Albanian: kunatë (sq) f Arabic: أُخْت زَوْج‎ f (ʾuḵt zawj) Armenian: տալ (hy) (tal) Bikol Central: hipag Bulgarian: зълва (bg) f (zǎlva) Burmese: ယောက်မ (my) (yaukma.) Catalan: cunyada (ca) f Cebuano: hipag (disused), bayaw, bayaw nga babaye (sa bana) Chamicuro: pus̈hana Chinese: Mandarin: 大姑 (zh) (dàgū) (husband's older sister), 小姑 (zh) (xiǎogū) (husband's younger sister) Min Nan: 大姑 (tōa-ko͘) (husband's older sister), 小姑 (sió-ko͘) (husband's younger sister) Czech: švagrová (cs) f Danish: svigerinde (da) c Dutch: schoonzus (nl) f, schoonzuster (nl) f Erzya: кияло (kijalo) Esperanto: bofratino Estonian: nadu (et) Finnish: käly (fi), nato (fi) (archaic) French: belle-sœur (fr) f Georgian: მული (muli) German: Schwägerin (de) f Greek: Ancient: γάλως f (gálōs) Hebrew: גִּיסָה‎ f (gisá) Hungarian: sógornő (hu) Icelandic: mágkona (is) f Ilocano: ipag Ingrian: nato Italian: cognata (it) f Javanese: ipé Kashmiri: زام‎ (zām) Kurdish: Central Kurdish: دِش‎ (diş) Latgalian: muoseica, veiramuosa Latin: glōs f Latvian: vīramāsa, māsīca Lithuanian: moša, vyro sesuo Luxembourgish: Schwéiesch f Malay: ipar Maori: taokete Mwani: wifi Norman: belle-soeu f Northern Sami: mannji Norwegian: Bokmål: svigerinne (no) m or f Nynorsk: svigerinne f, versyster f, versøster f Old Javanese: ipe Oromo: sayyuu Pashto: اندرور‎ (ps) f, ندرور‎ f Polish: szwagierka (pl) f Portuguese: cunhada (pt) f Romanian: cumnată (ro) f Russian: неве́стка (ru) f (nevéstka), золо́вка (ru) f (zolóvka) Sanskrit: ननान्दृ (sa) f (nanāndṛ) Scots: guid-sister Scottish Gaelic: piuthar-chèile f, piuthar-fhear f Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: заова f Roman: zaova (sh) f, šogorica (sh) f Seri: hiquéec Slovak: švagriná (sk) f, zolvica f (archaic) Slovene: svakinja (sl) f Spanish: cuñada (es) f Swedish: svägerska (sv) c Tagalog: hipag (tl) Tamil: மச்சினி (ta) (macciṉi) Turkish: görümce (tr) Vietnamese: chị chồng (husband's older sister), em chồng (vi) (wife's older sister) Volapük: lüsör (vo) Walloon: bele-sour (wa) f Yindjibarndi: binthi Zazaki: gorım f

sister's wife

Bikol Central: hipag Catalan: cunyada (ca) f Czech: švagrová (cs) f Danish: svigerinde (da) c Dutch: schoonzus (nl) f, schoonzuster (nl) f Esperanto: bofratino Finnish: käly (fi) French: belle-sœur (fr) f German: Schwägerin (de) f Hebrew: גִּיסָה‎ f (gisá) Hungarian: sógornő (hu) Icelandic: mágkona (is) f Ilocano: ipag Italian: cognata (it) f Luxembourgish: Schwéiesch f Norman: belle-soeu f Norwegian: Bokmål: svigerinne (no) m or f Nynorsk: svigerinne f, versyster f, versøster f Portuguese: cunhada (pt) f Romanian: cumnată (ro) f Scots: guid-sister Slovak: švagriná (sk) f Slovene: svakinja (sl) f Spanish: cuñada (es) f Swedish: svägerska (sv) c Walloon: bele-sour (wa) f

brother's wife

Armenian: հարս (hy) (hars) Bashkir: килен (kilen) (younger brother's wife), еңгә (yeŋgä) (elder brother's wife) Bengali: ভাবী (bn) (bhabī) Bikol Central: hipag Bulgarian: снаха (bg) f (snaha) Burmese: ယောက်မ (my) (yaukma.), မရီး (my) (ma.ri:), ခယ်မ (my) (hkaima.) Catalan: cunyada (ca) f Cebuano: hipag (disused), bayaw, bayaw nga babaye (sa igsoong lalaki) Chinese: Cantonese: 阿嫂 (aa3 sou2) (older brother's wife), 弟婦, 弟妇 (dai6 fu5) (younger brother's wife), 阿妗 (aa3 kam5) (younger brother's wife) Mandarin: 嫂子 (zh) (sǎozi) (older brother's wife), 弟媳 (zh) (dìxí) (younger brother's wife) Min Nan: 阿嫂 (zh-min-nan) (a-só) (older brother's wife), 兄嫂 (hiaⁿ-só) (older brother's wife), 小嬸, 小婶 (sió-chím) (younger brother's wife) Czech: švagrová (cs) f Danish: svigerinde (da) c Dutch: schoonzus (nl) f, schoonzuster (nl) f Esperanto: bofratino Estonian: käli (et) Finnish: käly (fi) French: belle-sœur (fr) f Georgian: ძმისცოლი (ʒmiscoli) German: Schwägerin (de) f Greek: νύφη (el) f (nýfi) Ancient: γάλως f (gálōs) Guugu Yimidhirr: guman.ga Hebrew: גִּיסָה‎ f (gisá) Hungarian: sógornő (hu) Icelandic: mágkona (is) f Ilocano: ipag Ingrian: käly Italian: cognata (it) f Japanese: 兄嫁 (aniyome), 弟嫁 (otoyome) Kashmiri: بٔے کاکَنؠ‎ (bạē kākan'), بٲے کاکَنؠ‎ (bạ̄ē kākan') Korean: 제수 (ko) (jesu) (a man's younger brother's wife), 형수 (ko) (hyeongsu) (a man's older brother's wife), 올케 (ko) (olke) (woman's brother's wife), 새언니 (saeeonni) (woman's older brother's wife, lit. "new older sister") Kurdish: Central Kurdish: بِراژِن‎ (ku) (birajin) Latgalian: mārša Latin: frātria f Latvian: mārša Lithuanian: brolienė Luxembourgish: Schwéiesch f Mongolian: бэргэн (mn) (bergen) (elder brother's wife), бэр (mn) (ber) (younger brother's wife) Navajo: hayé Norman: belle-soeu f Norwegian: Bokmål: svigerinne (no) m or f Nynorsk: svigerinne f, versyster f, versøster f Old English: brōþorwīf n Pashto: بابۍ‎ (ps) f, ورېنداره‎ f Paumarí: ʼananini f (woman's brother's wife) Pennsylvania German: Gschwei f Polish: bratowa (pl) f Portuguese: cunhada (pt) f Romanian: cumnată (ro) f Russian: неве́стка (ru) f (nevéstka) Scots: guid-sister Scottish Gaelic: bean-bhràthair f, piuthar-chèile f Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: снаха f Roman: snaha (sh) f Seri: hicatazáta (man's older brother’s wife); hicmajéete (man's younger brother’s wife); hicóaac (woman's brother’s wife) Slovak: švagriná (sk) f Slovene: svakinja (sl) f Spanish: cuñada (es) f Swedish: svägerska (sv) c Tagalog: inso (elder brother's wife), hipag (tl) Tamil: அண்ணி (ta) (aṇṇi) Turkish: yenge (tr) Udi: вичечубух (vičečubuχ) Vietnamese: chị dâu (older brother's wife), em dâu (vi) (younger brother's wife) Walloon: bele-sour (wa) f Westrobothnian: brosjtjäling f Yindjibarndi: binthi, yarungu Zazaki: bıraceni f

wife's brother's wife

Armenian: հարս (hy) (hars) Bikol Central: bilas Catalan: cunyada (ca) f Cebuano: bilas nga babaye (sa igsoong lalaki sa asawa) Chinese: Mandarin: 舅嫂 (zh) (jiùsǎo) Czech: švagrová (cs) f Dutch: schoonzus (nl) f, schoonzuster (nl) f Esperanto: bofratino Estonian: käli (et) Finnish: käly (fi) French: belle-sœur (fr) f German: Schwippschwägerin (de) f Hebrew: גִּיסָה‎ f (gisá) Hungarian: sógornő (hu) Icelandic: svilkona (is) f Ilocano: abirat a babai Italian: cognata (it) f Kashmiri: ۂہرٕ باے‎ (hạhrụ bāy) Norman: belle-soeu f Northern Sami: spile Norwegian: Bokmål: svigerinne (no) m or f Nynorsk: svigerinne f, versyster f, versøster f Pashto: یور‎ f Portuguese: mulher/esposa do cunhado f, concunhada (pt) f, cunhada (pt) f Romanian: cumnată (ro) f Russian: неве́стка (ru) f (nevéstka) Scots: guid-sister Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: шурјакиња f Roman: šurjakinja (sh) f Spanish: cuñada (es) f Swedish: svägerska (sv) c Tagalog: bilas na babae Turkish: elti (tr) Udi: севичейчугьух (sevičejčuhuχ) Vietnamese: chị dâu (wife's older brother's wife), em dâu (vi) (wife's younger brother's wife) Zazaki: cêri f

husband's brother's wife

Armenian: տագերակին (hy) (tagerakin) Bikol Central: bilas Catalan: cunyada (ca) f Cebuano: bilas nga babaye (sa igsoong lalaki sa bana) Czech: švagrová (cs) f Dutch: schoonzus (nl) f, schoonzuster (nl) f Esperanto: bofratino Estonian: käli (et) Finnish: käly (fi) French: belle-sœur (fr) f German: Schwippschwägerin (de) f Greek: Ancient: ἐνάτηρ f (enátēr) Hebrew: גִּיסָה‎ f (gisá) Hungarian: sógornő (hu) Icelandic: svilkona (is) f Ilocano: abirat a babai Italian: cognata (it) f Kashmiri: درٕٛے کاکَنؠ‎ Kurdish: Central Kurdish: ھێوەرژِن‎ (ku) (hêwerjin) Latgalian: ītaļa Latvian: ietaļa Lithuanian: brolienė Norman: belle-soeu f Northern Sami: gálojeatni Norwegian: Bokmål: svigerinne (no) m or f Nynorsk: svigerinne f, versyster f, versøster f Portuguese: mulher/esposa do cunhado f, concunhada (pt) f, cunhada (pt) f Romanian: cumnată (ro) f Russian: неве́стка (ru) f (nevéstka) Sanskrit: यातृ (sa) f (yātṛ) Scots: guid-sister Serbo-Croatian: Cyrillic: јетрва f Roman: jetrva (sh) f Seri: hilxcmaam Spanish: cuñada (es) f Swedish: svägerska (sv) c Tagalog: bilas na babae Tamil: அக்கா (ta) (akkā), தங்கை (ta) (taṅkai) Torres Strait Creole: neitawet (eastern dialect) Turkish: elti (tr) Vietnamese: chị dâu (husband's older brother's wife), em dâu (vi) (husband's younger brother's wife)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Indonesian: (please verify) ipar (id) Low German: Mennonite Plautdietsch: Schwäjersche f New Low Saxon: Swägerin f Romani: (please verify) bori f, (please verify) sali f Slovak: (please verify) švagra f, (please verify) švagriná (sk) f Telugu: (please verify) వదిన (te) (vadina), (please verify) మరదలు (te) (maradalu)