Avuncular

Avuncular

əˈvəNGkyələr

Adjective

  • Relating to an uncle.
  • Kind and friendly toward a younger or less experienced person.

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Example Sentences

“He has an avuncular friendliness with all of his friend’s children, even though he never had kids of his own.”

“My mom doesn’t have any brothers, but she has eight male cousins, so they all adopted an avuncular relationship with me.”

“The avuncular relatives joined forces to build a giant playhouse for the kids in the family.”

Word Origin

Latin, mid-19th century

Why this word?

The Latin root of “avuncular” — “avunculus” — originally signified the relationship specifically with one’s maternal uncle, but common usage has expanded the word to embrace a connection with any uncle. Today, the adjective “avuncular” can also be applied to a kind and indulgent attitude toward younger people.

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Learn a new word Amuse-gueule

əˌmo͞ozˈɡəl