grand-uncle

An elderly grand-uncle tells stories to his young niece and nephew.

Definition

grand-uncle (noun): The brother of one's grandparent; the uncle of one's parent (specifically, a parent's uncle).

Usage Examples

• (The brother of one's grandparent.)
• (A parent's uncle, related by blood or marriage.)

Advanced Usage

• "Great-uncle" is a more common synonym for "grand-uncle," though "grand-uncle" is sometimes used to emphasize the generational distance (one generation removed from the uncle relationship).
• In genealogical contexts, "grand-uncle" can refer to the brother of a grandparent, while "great-grand-uncle" refers to the brother of a great-grandparent.

Variants and Related Words

• Great-uncle (noun): A synonym for "grand-uncle"; the brother of one's grandparent.
  • My great-uncle fought in the war. (Same meaning as grand-uncle.)
• Grand-aunt (noun): The sister of one's grandparent; the aunt of one's parent.
  • My grand-aunt lives in the same town as my grandmother. (Female counterpart of grand-uncle.)

Synonyms

• Great-uncle: The most common alternative term.
• Uncle of one's parent: A descriptive phrase.

Related Idioms

• There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs that include "grand-uncle," as it is a specific kinship term.