A half-brother is a male sibling with one shared parent.
While many half-brothers are step-brothers and vice versa, someone may have either relationship without the other: step-siblings each have a parent married to a parent of the other but not necessarily a parent in common, and half-siblings not living in the same household are not always considered step-siblings.
See also: family, brother, half-sister, illegitimacy.
Last updated: 10-18-2005 20:38:57