Uncle

An uncle is a name used in an extended family. An uncle is either a brother of one of someone's parents. That person is the uncle's nephew (male) or niece (female). An uncle's child is a cousin.^[1] A granduncle (also written as great-uncle or grand-uncle) is the brother of a grandparent.^[1] In some cultures an uncle is considered a close family member. Based on the old Chinese saying "the oldest son in the family is the father of the family" an uncle is often the head of a family.^[2] In many cultures no single word (such as uncle) describes both their parents' brothers. Instead there are words to describe a person's kinship to their mother's brother or a person's kinship to their father's brother. An uncle can also be someone not related by blood or marriage as in a term of endearment or respect. In this use uncle can also be part of a nickname such as Uncle Sam.

A chart showing the names for relationships in an extended family.

Avunculus

During the Middle Ages in western Europe, a maternal uncle played a particular role in the family. A young man was often closer to his maternal uncle (from Latin: avunculus or "little grandfather") than to his own father.^[3] Tacitus noted the Franks had very strong ties between a maternal uncle and his nephew.^[4] In Roman family relationships the avunculus had a responsibility to defend his nephews as well as his nieces. The maternal uncle relationship was an extension of the Roman kin system's strong brother-sister relationship.^[5]

Variation of terms

A maternal or paternal relative is one who is related through their mother or father, respectively. For example, a maternal uncle is the subject's mother's brother.^[source?]An in-law is a relationship that is not by blood, but instead by marriage. The in-law shares the in-law relationships of the spouses relatives. For example, an uncle in-law could be the husband of the subject's Aunt.

• uncle: parent's brother.
• maternal uncle: mother's brother.
• paternal uncle: father's brother.
• half-uncle: parent's half-brother.
• double-half-brother: a person who is a half-brother of both of the subjects parents.^[6]
• granduncle (or great-uncle): grandparent's brother.
• great-granduncle (or great-great-uncle): great-grandparent's brother.
• uncle-in-law: uncle/aunt's husband.
• uncle-in-law: spouse's uncle.
• co-uncle-in-law: spouse's uncle/aunt's husband.
• stepuncle: stepparent's brother.
• stepuncle: parent's stepbrother.

Related pages

• Nephew and niece