niece

[ nees ]

/ nis /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR niece ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a daughter of a person's brother or sister.

a daughter of a person's spouse's brother or sister.

Nearby words

nidus avis, nidwalden, niebuhr, niebuhr, barthold georg, niebuhr, reinhold, niece, niederrhein, niedersachsen, niederösterreich, niello, nielsen

Origin of niece

1250–1300; Middle English nece < Old French < Vulgar Latin *neptia, for Latin neptis granddaughter; replacing Middle English nifte, Old English nift niece (cognate with Old Frisian, Old High German nift, Dutch nicht, Old Norse nipt) < Germanic; akin to Lithuanian neptė̃, Sanskrit naptī; cf. nephew

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

Examples from the Web for niece

He hugs his sister, Athelgra, hugs his daughter, Ernestine, hugs his niece Arthel.
The Stacks: The Neville Brothers Stake Their Claim as Bards of the Bayou|John Ed Bradley|April 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Negron was dating Mayor Delle Donna's niece, Rita Perito, and their relationship allegedly turned physically abusive.
Did Christie Go Easy on a Human Trafficker Just to Bust a Small-Time Pol?|Olivia Nuzzi|March 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My ultimate aim is that by the time my niece is eight - she's three now - there won't be a risk of FGM.
Camilla Backs FGM Eradication Campaign|Tom Sykes|February 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I have a 13-year-old niece who is a Belieber (aka big fan of Justin).
Justin Bieber's Spiritual Crisis|Joshua DuBois|January 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The neighbor was off visiting somebody at the hospital, but a niece was there and let Ortega in.
‘Killer Nanny’ Case: What the Krims Didn’t Know About Yoselyn Ortega|Michael Daly|June 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
He had been twice married; his second union, with his niece Martina, was frequently made a matter of reproach to him.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 3|Various
After all, this was her aunt, and she believed she was speaking to her niece.
The Rebellion of Margaret|Geraldine Mockler
Suppose French, feeling his end approaching, gave it to his niece?
The Land of Strong Men|Arthur M. Chisholm
Of all the mean work—worth all that money, and sending her niece out to get sewing to do!
Jane Field|Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Mrs. McLean had a niece visiting her from Scotland, an interesting girl with snappy brown eyes and straight dark hair.
Molly Brown's Senior Days|Nell Speed

British Dictionary definitions for niece

niece

/ (niːs) /

noun

a daughter of one's sister or brother

Word Origin for niece

C13: from Old French niece granddaughter, ultimately from Latin neptis granddaughter

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

niece

noun

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Origin of niece

Examples from the Web for niece

British Dictionary definitions for niece

niece

noun

Word Origin for niece