A fraternity is a fraternal social club for men at a college or university, usually combining residential facilities with shared dining and recreation areas. Like sororities, fraternities are customarily identified by Greek letters, and admit members on the basis of mutual compatibility.

The club's members are men associated with a college or university. Membership follows the social selection of the fraternity. General student-housing assignments follow a different arrangement.

A sorority is the corresponding social-club arrangement for women. Shared dining or recreation rooms alone do not make an ordinary student dormitory a fraternity.