avuncular
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to an uncle.
He spoke of his sister's son with avuncular pride.
-
acting like an uncle, as in being kind, patient, generous, etc., especially to younger people.
the avuncular, slightly condescending boss of a toy company.
adjective
-
of or concerned with an uncle
-
resembling an uncle; friendly; helpful
Other Word Forms
- avuncularity noun
- avuncularly adverb
Etymology
Origin of avuncular
First recorded in 1825–35; from Latin avuncul(us) “a mother's brother,” equivalent to av(us) “a forefather” + unattested -ont- + unattested -l(os) diminutive suffix ( uncle ) + -ar 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We’re a long way from Norman Rockwell’s Saturday Evening Post portraits of doting parents taking their rosy-cheeked children to the avuncular family doctor for back-to-school checkups.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
That is why producers like Moritz work to land them far in advance and why Gelfond has transformed from an avuncular dealmaker into one of Hollywood’s most sought-after arbiters of power.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 7, 2025
The avuncular host has joked that he spent 40 years doing “a part-time job pretending it was full-time,” given how the show’s shooting schedule has allowed him to tape several episodes at a time.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2024
Lewin is avuncular without seeming overbearing, which is key in a story about a creepy yet bizarrely clownish killer.
From Salon • Apr. 21, 2024
“Well, that’s ridiculous,” he said, flashing an avuncular grin that I suspected was generated by whatever diplomacy software he was running.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
