avunculus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [aˈwʊŋ.kʊ.ɫʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [aˈvuŋ.ku.lus]^[1]

Forms

avunculus m (genitive avunculī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from avus “grandfather” with the suffix -culus, properly “little grandfather”.^[2][3][4] Wiktionary derives it from an ⟨n⟩-stem ⟨*h₂ewh₂-on-⟩, a dialectal diminutive of Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwh₂s (“grandfather, adult male relative”), whence also Proto-Celtic *awontīr (“uncle”).^[1] Lewis and Short compare Lithuanian avýnas (“uncle”).^[5] Isidore notes that the name has the form of a diminutive, showing it comes from ⟨avus⟩.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of a mother's brother.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a mother's brother, a maternal uncle, as against patruus, a father's brother, and in Seneca a mother's sister's husband.^[2][5][3] In Cicero avunculus magnus was a great-uncle, in Seneca avunculus maior a great-great-uncle, and in the Digest avunculus maximus a still more remote uncle.^[2][7]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant an uncle.^[8] Medieval Latin also used it for a father's brother and for a cousin.^[9] It survives in Romanian unchi and French oncle, and Old French oncle gave English uncle about 1300.^[1][3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a maternal uncle.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses avunculus magnus.^[2][4]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses avunculus maior.^[2][4]
• c. 1300 – English uncle is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A mother's brother, maternal uncle; a mother's sister's husband.^[2]
2. avunculus magnus, a great-uncle.^[2]
3. avunculus maior, a great-great-uncle.^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin) A father's brother; a cousin.^[9]

Word family

• avunculāris

Related words

• amita
• matertera
• patruus
• avus
• English uncle

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill