nephew

[nef-yoo or, esp. British, nev-yoo]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR nephew ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

Nearby words

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nephew

Seven days after receiving the letter from Navarro, Abidogun had yet to break the “bad news” to his brother-in-law and his nephew.
Ebola Racism Reaches a New Low in Texas|Abby Haglage|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her mother, brother, and nephew—and her brother-in-law did it, too.
Quincy Jones Talks Chicago’s Mean Streets, Why Kanye West Is No Michael Jackson, and Bieber|Marlow Stern|September 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cardin is the nephew of Senator Ben Cardin and ran with his uncle putting all of his political resources behind him.
Martin O’Malley Looks Stronger For 2016|Ben Jacobs|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At one point my sister was visiting with my nephew, who was very little at the time.
How Megan Hilty Survived TV Flops ‘Smash’ and ‘Sean Saves the World’ With Grace|Kevin Fallon|May 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

His nephew (Kyle Gallner) is struggling to come out of the closet.
Courteney Cox Gets Personal About Her Directorial Debut, ‘Just Before I Go’|Kevin Fallon|April 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They have no nephew; the old man never had but those two children, Jacob and Edward.
East Lynne|Mrs. Henry Wood
"You must not fatigue him," he said to Julien, who understood that he was the nephew.
The Red and the Black|Stendhal
On the ground they were met by Cresford the builder, with his nephew, also Grundy with his son, and Craven his partner.
Diaries of Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore, Volume I|Sir Moses Montefiore
My nephew never shows sign; Sillery is to perish, you fear to speak to me; even my poor wife chides me.
Kilgorman|Talbot Baines Reed
The porter showed the two visitors into the garden, and forthwith the stout man drew his nephew along the paths.
The Exploits of Juve|Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain

British Dictionary definitions for nephew

nephew

noun

a son of one's sister or brother

Word Origin for nephew

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for nephew

nephew

c.1300, from Old French neveu (Old North French nevu) "grandson, descendant," from Latin nepotem (nominative nepos) "sister's son, grandson, descendant," in post-Augustan Latin, "nephew," from PIE *nepot- "grandchild," and in a general sense, "male descendant other than son" (cf. Sanskrit napat "grandson, descendant;" Old Persian napat- "grandson;" Old Lithuanian nepuotis "grandson;" Dutch neef; German Neffe "nephew;" Old Irish nia, genitive niath "son of a sister," Welsh nei). Used in English in all the classical senses until meaning narrowed in 17c., and also as a euphemism for "the illegitimate son of an ecclesiastic" (1580s). The Old English cognate, nefa "nephew, stepson, grandson, second cousin" survived to 16c.