Where does “uncle” come from?
uncle (Old French) comes from Latin avunculus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éwh₂os — maternal grandfather; maternal uncle.
uncle (Old French): Alternative form of oncle
Definitions
- Alternative form of oncle
Ancestry of “uncle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | avunculus | maternal uncle, mother's brother; mother's... |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éwh₂os | maternal grandfather; maternal uncle |