stepsisters and halfisters

Question

Hi,The word "stepsister" is listed as a synonym of "half sister" in  dictionaries. However, there are two possible scenarios:1. A woman has two daughters, each fathered by a different man.2. A woman has a daughter, a man has a daughter and the man and woman get married. (ie. the girls are biologically not sisters at all)Long time ago, I used to think that half sisters were the girls in #1 and stepsisters were the girls in #2.Could you please answer these questions:a. When you hear "stepsister/half sister" do you first think of situation #1 or #2 above?b. Imagine you say "Jane has a stepsister." What would you add to specify which "type" of stepsister Jenny has?E.g.#1 "Jane has a stepsister. The girls have (or share) the same mother."#2 "Jane has a stepsister. The two girls don't have the same biological parents (or have different biological parents), though."Thank you in advance.

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

In the U.S., your original understanding is correct.

Step-sisters have entirely different biological parents, but when the father of one marries the mother of the other, they become step-sisters.

Half-sisters have either a mother or father in common. If someone is my half-sister, it could be because my mother was married before she married my own father, and had a child with the first husband - or she could be no longer with my father, but have a child with her second husband. That would be my half-sibling. Likewise, my father could have done the same. In fact, my own mother has a half-sister on her mother's side from her first marriage, and three half-siblings on her father's side from his first marriage. So that makes her half-sister (mom's side) and half-siblings (dad's side) step-siblings to each other.

I have found, though, that when the marriage takes place after the children are grown, so they don't have a "family" relationship with each other, they tend not to say "My step-sister." They tend instead to say things like "My father's new wife's daughter."

(And yes, of course I know that the married part is optional to the baby-making process.)

Pastsimple · Answer

Grammar GeekIn the U.S., your original understanding is correct.

Step-sisters have entirely different biological parents, but when the father of one marries the mother of the other, they become step-sisters.

Half-sisters have either a mother or father in common. If someone is my half-sister, it could be because my mother was married before she married my own father, and had a child with the first husband - or she could no longer be with my father, but have a child with her second husband. That would be my half-sibling. Likewise, my father could have done the same. In fact, my own mother has a half-sister on her mother's side from her first marriage, and three half-siblings on her father's side from his first marriage. So that makes her half-sister (mom's side) and half-siblings (dad's side) step-siblings to each other.

I have found, though, that when the marriage takes place after the children are grown, so they don't have a "family" relationship with each other, they tend not to say "My step-sister." They tend instead to say things like "My father's new wife's daughter."

(And yes, of course I know that the married part is optional to the baby-making process.)

Thanks for your comprehensive answer, it's completely clear now.

P.S. Again, a situation where I should have thought less.

stepsisters and halfisters

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions