Meaning
A close female friend, or a group of women bound together by friendship and mutual support — the female counterpart of 'bredren', used for one woman or many. Rooted in Rastafari speech, where the sistren are the women of the community, it carries a warm sense of sisterhood, solidarity, and shared struggle that goes beyond ordinary friendship. To call a woman 'mi sistren' is to name her as one of your own, a trusted sister in life.
Examples
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She a mi sistren from wi likkle.
She has been my close friend since we were small.
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Mi sistren dem a plan a party.
My girlfriends are planning a party.
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Big up all mi sistren.
Respect to all my sisters.
Origin
Formed by analogy with bredren, itself from archaic English "brethren". Sistren is not standard in older English usage and is largely a Jamaican and Rastafari coinage that has since spread into Caribbean and diaspora speech.
How it’s used
In Rastafari contexts it carries spiritual weight, referring to women within the faith community. In everyday use it simply marks genuine closeness — not used for acquaintances.