uncle

noun

un·​cle ˈəŋ-kəl 

1

a

: the brother of one's father or mother

b

: the husband of one's aunt or uncle

2

: one who helps, advises, or encourages

3

—used as a cry of surrender

was forced to cry uncle

4

capitalized : uncle sam

Examples of uncle in a Sentence

I have three uncles and two aunts.

My Uncle David is visiting next week.

Recent Examples on the Web

One of my uncles took me there en route to Warszawa, fasting like his grandmother. —Patrycja Humienik, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025

The uncle was able to free Acosta while a Stanislaus County deputy helped the uncle pull the 4-year-old girl out of the submerged car. —Nicole Acosta, People.com, 10 Mar. 2025

What To Know Dove went with his teenage daughter on February 25 to his uncle's vacant home in Saint Matthews, South Carolina. —William Lambers, Newsweek, 8 Mar. 2025

On an empty road in the middle of the night, Shula stumbles across the body of her uncle. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin avunculus mother's brother; akin to Old English ēam uncle, Welsh ewythr, Latin avus grandfather

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing uncle

• and Bob's your uncle
• Dutch uncle
• great-uncle
• say uncle
• uncle-in-law

Rhymes for uncle

• carbuncle
• peduncle
• siphuncle

Kids Definition

uncle

noun

un·​cle ˈəŋ-kəl 

1

: the brother of one's father or mother

2

: the husband of one's aunt or uncle