uncle
Americannoun
-
a brother of one's father or mother.
-
an aunt's husband.
-
a familiar title or term of address for any elderly man.
-
Slang. a pawnbroker.
-
(initial capital letter) Uncle Sam.
-
a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter U.
idioms
noun
-
a brother of one's father or mother
-
the husband of one's aunt
-
a term of address sometimes used by children for a male friend of their parents
-
slang a pawnbroker
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
My uncle Ed, my mother’s eldest brother, was an Augustinian.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
She said one message from an uncle that had come out of Iran during the blackout had been him wishing himself happy birthday on her behalf.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
“It’s an addiction,” says Carlos Moyá, a constant presence in the series and, it is implied, a factor in Mr. Nadal’s separation from his lifelong coach, his uncle Toni Nadal.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
That is, until an affectionate aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, intervene on Mary’s behalf, inviting her to London and a fresh start.
From Salon • May 20, 2026
Owen pitches adding an interview with the mom of the alleged coyote victim, and Cora’s uncle loves the idea.
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
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.
