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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Fraternization

Fraternization \Fra`ter*ni*za"tion\ (? or ?), n. The act of fraternizing or uniting as brothers.

I hope that no French fraternization . . . could so change the hearts of Englishmen.
--Burke.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
fraternization

1792, "act of uniting as brothers," noun of action from fraternize on model of French fraternisation. In reference to friendly relations between occupying soldiers and occupied civilians, from 1851; in reference to intimate relations as a violation of military discipline from 1944 (see fraternize).

Wiktionary
fraternization

alt. 1 The act of fraternizing or uniting as brothers. 2 Having a friendly relationship with the enemy. 3 (context chiefly US pejorative English) any type of disallowed, supposedly unethical and unprofessional, social or intimate contact between employees, especially between different gender, class or rank. n. 1 The act of fraternizing or uniting as brothers. 2 Having a friendly relationship with the enemy. 3 (context chiefly US pejorative English) any type of disallowed, supposedly unethical and unprofessional, social or intimate contact between employees, especially between different gender, class or rank.

WordNet
fraternization

n. associating with others in a brotherly or friendly way; especially with an enemy [syn: fraternisation]

Wikipedia
Fraternization

Fraternization (from Latin frater, brother) is "turning people into brothers"—conducting social relations with people who are actually unrelated and/or of a different class (especially those with whom one works) as though they were siblings, family members, personal friends or lovers.

In many institutional contexts (such as militaries, diplomatic corps, parliaments, prisons, law enforcement or police, schools, sports teams, gangs, and corporations) this kind of relation transgresses legal, moral or professional norms forbidding certain categories of social contact across socially or legally defined classes. The term often therefore tends to connote impropriety, unprofessionalism or unethical behavior.

For example, "fraternization with the enemy" refers to associations with members of enemy groups and suggests a serious conflict of strong, deep, and close romantic interest and attraction, if not the possibility of treason; while "fraternization with civilians" typically suggests transgression of norms forbidding non-civilians and civilians to form close nonprofessional relationships (e.g., romantically), and "fraternization of officers with enlisted personnel" or "seniors with their juniors" (the usual referent of 'fraternization' in a military context) describes associations which are implied to be irregular, unprofessional, improper or imprudent in ways that negatively affect the members and goals of the organization.

A vast number of institutions worldwide implement policies forbidding forms of fraternization for many specific reasons. Fraternization may be forbidden to maintain image and morale, to protect and ensure fair and uniform treatment of subordinates, to maintain organizational integrity and the ability to achieve operational goals, and to prevent unauthorized transfers of information. Relations and activities forbidden under these anti-fraternization policies range from romantic and sexual liaisons, through gambling and ongoing business relationships, through insubordination, to excessive familiarity and disrespect of rank.

Views on fraternization are mixed and may depend on the relations and classes under discussion. Organizations may relax, change, or reinforce restrictions to reflect changes in the prevailing organizational view or doctrine regarding fraternization.

Usage examples of "fraternization".

Like some editors and television producers, some scientists believe the public is too ignorant or too stupid to understand science, that the enterprise of popularization is fundamentally a lost cause, or even that it's tantamount to fraternization, if not outright cohabitation, with the enemy.

A Malwa officer, had there been one present to notice, would have been outraged at the free and easy fraternization between captives and captors.

That would be a pleasure, because there was very little fraternization across the ranks when the legion was in the field — and they had been in the field an unexpected three months already, with victory more distant every day that brought no beneficial change .

The penalty for any sort of sexual fraternization between a slave and a woman was the loss of the ability to make use of those urges.