Where does “uncle” come from?

uncle (Middle English) comes from Old French uncle, from Latin avunculus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éwh₂os — maternal grandfather; maternal uncle.

uncle (Middle English): uncle (brother of one's parents)

Definitions

  1. uncle (brother of one's parents)

Ancestry of “uncle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old FrenchuncleAlternative form of oncle
2Latinavunculusmaternal uncle, mother's brother; mother's...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éwh₂osmaternal grandfather; maternal uncle

Words derived from “uncle”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂éwh₂os →