The daughter of one's sibling or sibling-in-law. A female relative in the next generation down within the same family branch.
Old French 'niece' from Latin 'neptis' meaning 'granddaughter' or 'niece'. Related to 'nephew' from Latin 'nepos'. The meaning narrowed from general descendant to specific sibling relationship by Middle English.
The word 'niece' shares its Latin root with 'nepotism', revealing how family relationships have always influenced power structures. Ancient Romans were so concerned about favoritism toward nephews and nieces that we inherited a specific word for this type of corruption.
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