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

The house is owned by Alfonzo Brown — Dove’s uncle, who is in prison out of state, the sheriff’s office said. —David Matthews, New York Daily News, 28 Feb. 2025

Calhoun County Sheriff Thomas Summers said Dove's uncle lived at the house, according to CBS News affiliate WLTX. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2025

Raised by a single mother and mentored by his entrepreneurial uncle, his passion for business was ignited quite early in his life. —Kody Boye, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025

His relaxed, jokey hosting style cemented his reputation as Hollywood’s goofy uncle, and nothing was off-limits to him, from a Hannibal Lecter entrance made to spoof Silence of the Lambs star Anthony Hopkins to a 1992 sketch sending up Barbra Streisand’s The Prince of Tides. —John Ortved, Vogue, 26 Feb. 2025

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

Rhymes for uncle

• carbuncle
• peduncle
• siphuncle

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