An uncle is the brother of your mother or father, or the husband of your aunt. In some cultures, the word is also used more broadly for older male relatives or family friends.
From Old French "oncle," from Latin "avunculus" meaning maternal uncle, a diminutive of "avus" meaning grandfather. The Latin term originally focused on your mother’s brother.
The Latin root behind "uncle" is closer to "little grandpa" than "dad’s brother." Many languages have different words for mother’s and father’s brothers, but English lumped them together into one "uncle" bucket.
"Uncle" is a kinship term that is explicitly male and has also been used in some cultures in paternalistic or patronizing ways (e.g., 'Uncle' as a nickname for older men in positions of informal authority). In some historical English usages, it has carried racialized or servile overtones (e.g., 'Uncle Tom'), which intersect with gender.
Use "uncle" strictly for male relatives or self-identified male caregivers in that role. When the gender is unknown or irrelevant, use a neutral kinship term like "parent's sibling" or "relative" rather than assuming 'uncle' or 'aunt.'
["parent's sibling","relative","caregiver"]
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.