nephew
Americannoun
-
a son of one's brother or sister.
-
a son of one's spouse's brother or sister.
-
an illegitimate son of a clergyman who has vowed celibacy (used as a euphemism).
-
Obsolete. a direct descendant, especially a grandson.
-
Obsolete. a remote male descendant, as a grandnephew or cousin.
noun
Etymology
Origin of nephew
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
Explanation
A nephew is the son of your sibling. This makes you the aunt or uncle of that nephew. While a mom, dad, sister, and brother are members of an immediate family, a nephew is part of your extended family because he's the son of a sibling. When brothers or sisters have male children, you become an aunt or an uncle to a nephew. If your nephew has a sister, she is your niece. Both niece and nephew originally meant "grandchild," but narrowed to their current meanings in the 1600s.
Vocabulary lists containing nephew
It's All in the Family
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Unit 20, Lessons 1–2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Milgrom has been working on the exhibition in collaboration with the Miles Davis Estate, led by Davis’ children, Erin and Cheryl, as well as his nephew, Vince Wilburn Jr., who are all in attendance.
From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026
The Securities and Exchange Commission said last week it had reached an agreement with Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, to settle related civil charges for a total of $18 million.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
Thaksin's nephew Yodchanan Wongsawat, who became Pheu Thai's standard-bearer ahead of the February election, was made minister of higher education in Anutin's cabinet.
From Barron's • May 10, 2026
That album's re-entry and rapid rise up the charts has been linked to the success of the film Michael, starring Jackson's nephew Jaafar Jackson.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
“Europe has a great deal of art,” Henry’s nephew Joseph Duveen once said, “and America has a great deal of money.”
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
