Uncle
Pronunciation
- enPR: ÅngʹkÉ™l, IPA: /ˈʌŋ.kÉ™l/
- Rhymes: -ʌŋkəl
Origin
Middle English uncle, from Anglo-Norman uncle, from Old French oncle, from Latin avunculus ("mother’s brotherâ€; literally, “little grandfather"), diminutive of avus ("grandfather"), from Proto-Indo-European *awo- ("grandfather, adult male relative other than one's father"). Displaced native Middle English eam, eme ("maternal uncle") (from Old English Ä“am ("maternal uncle"), compare Old English fædera ("paternal uncle") from the same Proto-Indo-European root. More at eme.
Full definition of uncle
Noun
uncle
(plural uncles)- A brother or brother-in-law of someone’s parent.
- 1907, w, The Younger Set Chapter 1/2, And it was while all were passionately intent upon the pleasing and snake-like progress of their uncle that a young girl in furs...peeped perfunctorily into the nursery...and halted amazed.
- My uncle is an atheist
- (euphemistic) A companion to your (usually unmarried) mother.
- (figuratively) A source of advice, encouragement, or help.
- (British, informal) A pawnbroker.
- (Southern US and parts of UK, colloquial) A close male friend of the parents of a family.
- (Southern US, slang, archaic) an older male African-American person
- (India, slang) An affectionate name for an older man.
Antonyms
Hyponyms
- (brother of someone’s father) paternal uncle
- (brother of someone’s mother) maternal uncle
- (uncle gained by marriage) uncle-in-law
Derived terms
Related terms
Interjection
- A cry used to indicate surrender.