NEPHEW


Meaning of NEPHEW in English

ˈne(ˌ)fyüˌ chiefly Brit -)vyü noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English nevew nephew, grandson, from Old French neveu, from Latin nepot-, nepos grandson, nephew, descendant; akin to Old English nefa grandson, nephew, Old High German nevo grandson, kinsman, Old Norse nefi nephew, kinsman, Greek nepodes children, Sanskrit napāt grandson, descendant

1.

a.

(1) : the son of a brother or sister

(2) : the son of a brother-in-law or sister-in-law

b. : an illegitimate son of an ecclesiastic

2. obsolete

a. : a lineal descendant

on that day Adam shall see all his nephews together — John Trapp

especially : grandson

among the ancient Greeks the name of the grandfather was commonly given to the nephew — Richard Bentley †1742

b. : grandnephew

c. : cousin

Henry the Fourth, grandfather to this King, depos'd his nephew Richard, Edward's son — Shakespeare

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.