uncle Meaning & Definition
What Does Uncle Mean?
Uncle is used as a noun meaning The brother or brother-in-law of one’s parent. It can also mean The male cousin of one’s parent. As an interjection, it means A cry used to indicate surrender. As a verb, it means To address somebody by the term uncle.
Uncle: Key Facts
| Part of speech | noun, interjection, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈʌŋ.kl̩// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | eam, eme and nuncle |
| Antonyms | aunt, auntie and aunty |
| Plural | uncles |
| Verb forms | uncles, uncling, uncled |
Uncle Definition (Noun)
- The brother or brother-in-law of one’s parent.
- The male cousin of one’s parent.
- Used as a fictive kinship title for a close male friend of one's parent or parents.
- Used as a title for the male companion to one's (usually unmarried) parent.
- A source of advice, encouragement, or help.
- A pawnbroker.
- An affectionate term for a man of an older generation than oneself, especially a friend of one's parents, by means of fictive kin.
- An older African-American male.
- Any middle-aged or elderly man older than the speaker or listener.
Uncle as an Interjection
- A cry used to indicate surrender.
Uncle as a Verb
- To address somebody by the term uncle.
- To act like, or as, an uncle.
Noun
- A companion to one's (usually unmarried) mother.
- An older male African-American person.
Synonyms of Uncle
Uncle synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Uncle
Uncle in a Sentence
No example sentences are available for this entry.
Word Forms & Grammar
uncle (plural uncles)
uncle
uncle (third-person singular simple present uncles, present participle uncling, simple past and past participle uncled)
Words That Rhyme With Uncle
Origin of Uncle
From Middle English uncle, borrowed from Anglo-Norman uncle and Old French oncle, from Vulgar Latin *aunclum, from Latin avunculus (“maternal uncle”, literally “little grandfather”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂euh₂-n-tlo- (“little grandfather”), a dialectal diminutive of *h₂éwh₂ō (“grandfather, adult male relative other than one’s father”) (whence also Latin avus (“grandfather”)). Displaced native Middle English em (“uncle”) from Old English ēam (“maternal uncle”), containing the same Proto-Indo-European root, and Old English fædera (“paternal uncle”). Compare Saterland Frisian Unkel (“uncle”), Dutch nonkel (“uncle”), German Low German Unkel (“uncle”), German Onkel (“uncle”), Danish onkel (“uncle”). More at eam and eame.
Uncle Pronunciation
You say uncle as //ˈʌŋ.kl̩//. It has 1 syllable.
Uncle: Your Questions Answered
Is uncle a noun or an interjection?
Uncle is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as an interjection and a verb.
What is another word for uncle?
You can replace uncle with words such as eam, eme and nuncle. See the full list of uncle synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of uncle?
The plural of uncle is uncles.
What is the past tense of uncle?
The past tense of uncle is uncled. The present participle is uncling.