# uncle

/ˈəŋkəɫ/ (US) · /ˈʌŋkəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/uncle
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. family member

noun · CEFR A1

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

For teachers: the male sibling of one's parent or the husband of one's parent's sibling.

- My uncle lives in Canada and visits us every summer.
- After the reading of the will, my uncle inherited the family estate where he had spent most of his childhood summers.

### 2. family friend

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a close male friend of your parents who you treat like a family member.

For teachers: a fictive kinship title applied to a close male friend of one's parents.

- Uncle Dave isn't actually related to us, but he's my dad's best friend.
- In many households, it is customary for children to address long-term family friends as 'uncle' as a sign of respect and intimacy.

### 3. older man

noun · CEFR B2 · Dialect · Informal

a polite or friendly way to refer to any middle-aged or elderly man.

For teachers: a term of address for an older or middle-aged man, common in various English dialects including Singaporean and Malaysian English.

- The uncle at the market always gives me a discount on fruit.
- The local taxi uncle knew every shortcut in the city, navigating the morning traffic with impressive ease.

### 4. surrender

interjection · CEFR C1 · American English · Informal

a word you say to show you give up, usually during a game or a friendly fight.

For teachers: a cry used to indicate submission or surrender, typically in the idiom 'cry uncle'.

- I had to cry uncle when my big brother started tickling me.
- The wrestler refused to cry uncle despite being held in a painful submission grip for several minutes.

Usage: Usually used in the phrase 'cry uncle'.

## Examples

- My uncle lives in London and visits us every summer.
- After my father passed away, my uncle became a very important mentor in my life.
- While biologically he was merely a distant cousin, the family referred to him as an uncle to signify his integration into their immediate social circle.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.