nephew

[nef-yoo, nev-yoo]

noun

1. a son of one's brother or sister.

2. a son of one's spouse's brother or sister.

3. an illegitimate son of a clergyman who has vowed celibacy (used as a euphemism).

4. Obsolete.,  a direct descendant, especially a grandson.

5. Obsolete.,  a remote male descendant, as a grandnephew or cousin.

nephew

/ ˈnɛf-, ˈnɛvjuː /

noun

1. a son of one's sister or brother

Word History and Origins

Origin of nephew¹

1250–1300; Middle English neveu < Old French < Latin nepōtem, accusative of nepōs nephew, grandson; akin to Old English nefa, Dutch neef, German Neffe, Old Norse nefi; the pseudo-etymological spelling with ph has influenced pronunciation

Word History and Origins

Origin of nephew¹

C13: from Old French neveu, from Latin nepōs; related to Old English nefa, Old High German nevo relative

Example Sentences

“We’re just teasing you, nephew. Here, take this. We wear white for celebrations.”

Read more on Literature

“Mr. Mosley’s nephew is still here?” his mama whispered, eyeing the lump on the bed as she sat down cross-legged on the floor next to Michael.

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Guinean singer Elie Kamano, who lives in exile, said on social media Sunday that two of his children, age 14 and 16, plus a 16-year-old nephew and his brother, a gendarme, had been abducted.

Read more on Barron's

But even as Whitten’s health declined, he remained frenetically creative and was never limited to one mode of expression, says Whitten’s nephew Jimmy Cross.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Our nephew Nicolas Cage came to live with us for a year when he was 14 and his parents were divorcing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• aunt 
• cousin 
• father 
• folk 
• mother 
• niece 
• sibling 
• uncle