This has been a complex topic for so many people, so it’s important to simplify it here—separately from family vocabulary: simple to complex names to call your relatives. In all ramifications, these concepts are different and are in no way synonymous.

Relax, you will definitely understand them perfectly with this simple analysis:

If your mum remarries and gives birth to a child, the child is your half-brother or half-sister because the person who gave birth to you gives birth to him or her. Likewise, if your father remarries, the child he has through the new wife is your half-brother or half-sister because the child is your father’s.

However, the child your mother or father’s new partner brings from a previous marriage is your step-brother or step-sister because it’s the union that brings both of you together, not that any of your parents gave birth to them.

In polygamy, the child of your father’s other wife is your half-brother or half-sister because you share the blood of one of your parents (your father’s). Though this aspect of English language isn’t based on the concept of polygamy, this explanation is correct and accurate.

Basically, your half-brother/half-sister shares 50% of your parents with you, but your stepbrother/stepsister ‘stepped’ into your life from somewhere else.

Succinctly, you are related to your half-brother/half-sister by blood but to your stepbrother/stepsister through marriage.
http://englishnaija.com/

Nice one !

Bravo.

Totally not recycled. Good!

I finally learnt a new thing in 2017
Thanks you Teacher

Nice write up but A Little correction OP
A child(elder/younger) from your Mum but not your father is your brother/sister(not half nor step). Why?,because you'll are from same mother,same womb Literally. ok let me spice it up with this "u all sucked from the same ...." only that the surname might differ but u'll are BROTHERS AND SISTERS. Thats actually that.Thanks

Thanks op!

Thanks for the lesson

Thats why i love NL...tanx op

Nice. Always thought they were synonymous.

Someone who does not share both parents with you is not your brother/sister, but we say they are to bridge the gap. Conception and sucking has nothing to do with it. Thank you.

DanPel:
Nice write up but A Little correction OP
A child(elder/younger) from your Mum but not your father is your brother/sister(not half nor step). Why?,because you'll are from same mother,same womb Literally. ok let me spice it up with this "u all sucked from the same ...." only that the surname might differ but u'll are BROTHERS AND SISTERS. Thats actually that.Thanks