uncle

noun

un·​cle ˈəŋ-kəl 

1

a

: the brother of one's father or mother

b

: the husband of one's aunt or uncle

2

: one who helps, advises, or encourages

3

—used as a cry of surrender

was forced to cry uncle

4

capitalized : uncle sam

Examples of uncle in a Sentence

I have three uncles and two aunts.

My Uncle David is visiting next week.

Recent Examples on the Web

One of Neubauer’s uncles, a lumberjack, was addicted to heroin for decades. —C.j. Chivers James Patrick Cronin Elena Hecht Anna Diamond Quinton Kamara, New York Times, 6 June 2024

However, perhaps the most excited person to welcome baby Parker into the world is his uncle, the second half of the Property Brothers, Jonathan Scott. —Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 6 June 2024

An uncle, barely in his 20s, flew ammo and supplies for the surrounded soldiers in Bastogne, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge. —Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2024

My uncle was a naval officer during World War II and had survived a typhoon while navigating that same Pacific. —David E. Petzal, Field & Stream, 5 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin avunculus mother's brother; akin to Old English ēam uncle, Welsh ewythr, Latin avus grandfather

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing uncle

• and Bob's your uncle
• Dutch uncle
• great-uncle
• say uncle
• uncle-in-law

Kids Definition

uncle

noun

un·​cle ˈəŋ-kəl 

1

: the brother of one's father or mother

2

: the husband of one's aunt or uncle