Where does “greatuncle” come from?
greatuncle (English) comes from English Uncle, from Middle English uncle, from Old French uncle, from Latin avunculus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éwh₂os — maternal grandfather; maternal uncle.
Ancestry of “greatuncle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Uncle | radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter U |
| 2 | Middle English | uncle | uncle (brother of one's parents) |
| 3 | Old French | uncle | Alternative form of oncle |
| 4 | Latin | avunculus | maternal uncle, mother's brother; mother's... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éwh₂os | maternal grandfather; maternal uncle |