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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Uncle: Definition, Examples, and Usage Tips (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：parent's brother (uncle)

uncle 🔊

/ˈʌŋkəl/

The brother of your father or mother, or the husband of your aunt.

Uncle giving gift to child at family gathering

parent's brother 🔊

➕

/ˈpɛrənts ˈbrʌðər/

The brother of one's father or mother, or the husband of one's aunt.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'avunculus' (mother's brother), via Old French 'oncle'.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine your uncle is 'un' (one) 'cle' (clear) friend — always clear in advice!

📖 Example

My uncle told us the most fascinating stories about his travels around the world when we gathered for the family dinner. 🔊 My uncle told us the most fascinating stories about his travels around the world when we gathered for the family dinner.

🔗 Collocations

my uncle and aunt – my uncle and aunt (referring to the couple)

Uncle Sam – a personification of the U.S. government or the country itself

great-uncle – the uncle of one's parent

🔄 Synonyms

kinsman (n.) – a male relative, not specifically an uncle

relative (n.) – a person connected by blood or marriage

🚫 Antonyms

aunt (n.) – the sister of one's parent or wife of one's uncle

🌱 Derivatives

great-uncle (n.) – the uncle of one's parent

uncle-in-law (n.) – the husband of one's aunt or the uncle of one's spouse

📖 Cultural Story

'Uncle Sam' personifies the U.S. government, originating from Samuel Wilson who supplied meat to the army in the War of 1812.

Meaning 2：friendly address for older man (uncle)

uncle 🔊

/ˈʌŋkəl/

A friendly and respectful way for a child or young person to address a familiar older man who is not a relative.

Young person asking directions from friendly uncle figure

friendly address for older man 🔊

➕

/ˈfrɛndli əˈdrɛs fɔːr ˈoʊldər mæn/

A term used by children or younger people to respectfully address an older man who is not a relative, often in a community setting.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

When my bicycle chain came off, the friendly neighbor, whom I always call Uncle Lee, came over immediately and fixed it for me. 🔊 When my bicycle chain came off, the friendly neighbor, whom I always call Uncle Lee, came over immediately and fixed it for me.

🔗 Collocations

Uncle John – a common example of using 'Uncle' as a respectful title for an older male neighbor

call someone uncle – to use the term 'uncle' as a form of address, often by children

Auntie and Uncle – paired respectful terms for older men and women in a community

🔄 Synonyms

sir (n.) – a respectful term of address for a man, more formal than 'uncle'

mister (n.) – a title used before a man's surname, can be used as a polite address

🚫 Antonyms

auntie (n.) – the female equivalent of 'uncle' as a respectful address for an older woman