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

Your body carries literal pieces of your mom—and maybe your grandmother, siblings, aunts, and uncles. —The Atlantic Science Desk, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2024

Newport ’65 was really a Thanksgiving dinner gone amok, in which the prodigal son and the father and several uncles and others are fighting. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024

Immediately after the Korean War, when the order was issued to round up all leftists, my uncle had suddenly disappeared without a trace, and his whereabouts were still unknown. —Lee Chang-Dong, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024

The uncles got a kick out of me and were more than good-natured with me. —Drew Carberry, Baltimore Sun, 22 Dec. 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