देवरDevarHusband's Younger Brother
Devar (देवर) is your husband's younger brother — a brother-in-law seen from the wife's side of the marriage. The term belongs to a married woman's vocabulary: she calls him devar, and he calls her bhabhi.
Who is your Devar?
The devar-bhabhi bond is famously the most relaxed relationship in the traditional joint family. Because the devar is junior to her husband, the formality a wife owes her elders melts away, and folk songs across North India celebrate the teasing, joking friendship between a bride and her young brother-in-law. He is often the first person in her new home she can laugh freely with, and in many households he becomes her messenger, co-conspirator, and adopted little brother.
How it's used
A woman says devar when telling others who he is, but calls him by his name since he is younger. For example: "मेरा देवर अभी कॉलेज में पढ़ता है" — "My devar (husband's younger brother) is still in college."
Devar vs similar terms
Devar and jeth are both the husband's brothers, split by age: the devar is younger and the relationship is informal, while the jeth is elder and commands the respect of a senior. A saala, by contrast, is the wife's brother — the mirror term used by the husband. The devar's wife is your devrani.
Frequently asked questions
What does Devar mean in Hindi?
Devar (देवर) means your husband's younger brother. It is used only by a married woman for her husband's junior brother, who in turn addresses her as bhabhi.
What is the difference between Devar and Jeth?
Both are your husband's brothers. The devar is younger than your husband and the bond is friendly and informal; the jeth is older than your husband and is treated with marked formality and respect.
Related terms
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