nephew
[ nef-yoo or, especially British, nev-yoo ]
/ ˈnɛf yu or, especially British, ˈnɛv yu /
Save This Word!
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.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “ITS” VS. “IT’S”!
Apostrophes can be tricky; prove you know the difference between it’s and its in this crafty quiz!
Question 1 of 12
On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
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
Words nearby nephew
nephanalysis, Nephele, nepheline, nephelinite, nephelometer, nephew, nepho-, nephogram, nephograph, nephology, nephometer
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for nephew
British Dictionary definitions for nephew
nephew
/ (ˈnɛvjuː, ˈnɛf-) /
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