nephew

noun

neph·​ew ˈne-(ˌ)fyü How to pronounce nephew (audio)
chiefly British -(ˌ)vyü
plural nephews
1
: a son of one's brother, sister, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law
2
obsolete : a lineal (see lineal sense 3) descendant
especially : grandson

Examples of nephew in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Askew’s uncle said his nephew was partially paralyzed by the gunshot and that blood clots in his legs led to an aneurysm. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 The male-only succession rule means the throne must go to Akishino, then to his 19-year-old nephew Prince Hisahito. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 Echaudemaison is survived by a brother and nephew, as well as a host of friends. — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 12 Aug. 2026 Earlier this year, the Securities and Exchange Commission settled its civil case over bribery charges against Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, directing the two to pay a total of $18 million in fines. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nephew

Word History

Etymology

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, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of nephew was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing nephew

Browse Nearby Words

nepheloscope
nephew
nephewship
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nephew.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nephew. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

nephew

noun
neph·​ew ˈnef-yü How to pronounce nephew (audio)
: a son of one's brother, sister, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law

More from Merriam-Webster on nephew

Nglish: Translation of nephew for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about nephew

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