The key difference between stepsister and half-sister is that the step sister is not related by blood whereas the half-sister is related by blood.
A stepsister is the daughter of one’s stepmother or stepfather whereas a half sister is a sister with whom one shares only one parent in common. Although half-sisters share one common parent, stepsisters do not have a common parent. Thus, they are not related by blood.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. Who is a Stepsister
3. Who is a Half-Sister
4. Side by Side Comparison – Stepsister vs Half-Sister in Tabular Form
5. Summary
Who is a Stepsister?
A step-sister is the daughter of your stepmother or step-parent. However, she is not a biological daughter of your mother or father. Therefore, stepsisters are not related by blood. For example, if your mother gets married to a man who has a daughter by another marriage, this girl becomes your step sister. The same goes for the daughter of your stepmother. Similarly, if you are a girl and one or both of your parents have stepchildren (their spouse’s children by another marriage), you become their stepsister. The important thing to note here is that stepsister does not have a parent in common since they have different parents.
Figure 01: Sisters
Let’s look at an example to understand this more clearly. Laura Lope is the daughter of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall (the wife of Prince Charles) by her previous marriage. Since her mother is married to Prince Charles, Laura is a stepsister of Prince William and Prince Harry.
Who is a Half-Sister?
A half sister is a sister related through one parent only. For example, if your father and stepmother have a child, he or she is your step sibling. If this child is a girl, she is your half sister. Similarly, a daughter of your mother by another marriage is also your stepsister. Moreover, if you are a girl, you are a half sister to the children your parents have from other marriages. If half-sisters share the same father, they are known as paternal half-sisters whereas if they share the same mother, they are known as maternal half-sisters.
Figure 02: Half-Siblings
Let’s look at an example from history. Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I of England were half-sisters. Both of them were children of Henry VIII of England. But they had different mothers: Mary was the daughter of Catherine of Aragon and Elizabeth was the daughter of Anne Boleyn.
What is the Difference Between Stepsister and Half-Sister?
A stepsister is the daughter of one’s stepmother or stepfather from a previous marriage whereas a half sister is a sister with whom one shares only one parent in common. Therefore, the key difference between stepsister and half-sister is that the stepsisters are not related by blood whereas half-sisters are related by blood. It is because half-sisters share a common parent while stepsisters don’t have a common parent.
Summary – Stepsister vs Half-Sister
The main difference between stepsister and half-sister is their relation by blood. Stepsisters are not related by blood whereas half-sisters are related by blood. This is because half-sisters share a common parent while stepsisters don’t.
Image Courtesy:
1.”2242665″ by briefkasten2 (CC0) via pixabay
2.”Half Siblings” (CC0, ) via Commons Wikimedia