great-uncle

noun

great-un·​cle ˈgrāt-ˈəŋ-kəl How to pronounce great-uncle (audio)

Examples of great-uncle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Elian survived, only to find himself in the eye of a geopolitical storm (and globe-spanning media frenzy) as his great-uncle in Miami fought to keep him in the United States and his father sought his return to Cuba. Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 9 Oct. 2024 My niece knows her great-grandfather and great-uncle both graduated from there. Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2024 After the war, Curt Engelhorn, Marlene’s great-uncle, took over the company, which was then a medium-sized family business, and turned it into a global empire. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024 Inherited from a great-uncle, the claim feels removed, a former assayer’s office stripped down to a wood stove, piles of National Geographic and Sports Illustrated. Hamilton Cain, Washington Post, 30 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for great-uncle 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'great-uncle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of great-uncle was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near great-uncle

Cite this Entry

“Great-uncle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great-uncle. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

great-uncle

noun

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