noun
nephew
NEHV-yoo
noun
1
The son of one's brother or sister, or of one's sibling-in-law.
"My nephew just started his first year of university."
"She sent her nephew a birthday card every year."
How to Use Nephew
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishYour sibling's son.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
my nephew
nephew and niece
Word Forms
nephews plural, Nephews plural
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Etymology
From Old French neveu, from Latin nepos ("grandson, descendant"). The modern -ph- spelling arose later from association with the Latin form, which eventually changed the way English speakers pronounced the word.