uncle

American  

[uhng-kuhl] / ˈʌŋ kəl /

noun

1. a brother of one's father or mother.

2. an aunt's husband.

3. a familiar title or term of address for any elderly man.

4. Slang. a pawnbroker.

5. (initial capital letter) Uncle Sam.

6. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter U.

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idioms

1. say / cry uncle, to concede defeat.

   They ganged up on him in the schoolyard and made him say uncle.

uncle British  

/ ˈʌŋkəl /

noun

1. a brother of one's father or mother

2. the husband of one's aunt

3. a term of address sometimes used by children for a male friend of their parents

4. slang a pawnbroker

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uncle More Idioms  

1. see cry uncle; Dutch uncle.

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Other Word Forms

• uncleless
  adjective
• uncleship
  noun

Etymology

Origin of uncle

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French uncle, Old French oncle, from Latin avunculus “mother's brother,” equivalent to av(us) “mother's father” + -unculus suffix extracted from diminutives of n-stems ( see homunculus)

Explanation

Your uncle is your parent's brother, or the man who marries one of your parent's siblings. Your favorite uncle might teach you to play chess or take you to amusement parks. Usually, an uncle is a relative — the brother of your mother, for example, or your dad's step-brother. It's also common in many cultures to have honorary uncles who are close family friends. From your uncle's perspective, you are either his niece or nephew. Colloquially, when you say or cry uncle, you're admitting defeat: "I'll let go of your arm when you say uncle!"

Example Sentences

While your brother’s widow is, no doubt, providing the care and guidance of both a mother and a father to these children, the knowledge that their uncle is also looking out for them is priceless.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

A devoted uncle came from Chicago to visit family in Los Angeles and see the boys in blue play the Cubs last month, but his trip was cut short by a tragic accident.

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

Brooke's uncle, Ryan Etherington, said the family was "deeply disappointed" with the coroner's conclusion.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Her uncle later returned to France and died fighting the Germans.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

“Your uncle led me here under false pretenses. Besides, the other line’s shorter. Meet me by where the band is going to play. Bring chairs.”

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Related Words

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