Definition of nephew
1a : a son of one's brother or sister or of one's brother-in-law or sister-in-lawb : an illegitimate (see illegitimate 1) son of an ecclesiastic
2 obsolete : a lineal (see lineal 3) descendant; especially : grandson
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Origin and Etymology of nephew
Middle English nevew, from Anglo-French nevou, neveu, from Latin nepot-, nepos grandson, nephew; akin to Old English nefa grandson, nephew, Sanskrit napāt grandson
First Known Use: 14th century
NEPHEW Defined for English Language Learners
nephew
playDefinition of nephew for English Language Learners
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: a son of your brother or sister
NEPHEW Defined for Kids
nephew
playDefinition of nephew for Students
: a son of a person's brother or sister
Learn More about nephew
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Spanish Central: Translation of nephew Nglish: Translation of nephew for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of nephew for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nephew
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