nephews

A nephew is a male relative who is the child of one’s brother or sister. The term can also apply to the male child of a spouse’s sibling, sometimes referred to as a nephew by marriage. The female equivalent is a niece.

The word derives from Old English nefa and is cognate with kinship terms in other Germanic languages. In kinship terminology, nephew is the male counterpart to niece, with the possibility of a great-nephew referring to the child of one’s nephew.

In genealogical use, a nephew is defined by blood as the son of a sibling, while nieces are the female counterparts. The term great-nephew denotes the next generation down from a nephew, namely the son of a nephew.

Cultural and social roles surrounding nephews vary widely. In some cultures, uncles and aunts play important guardianship or mentoring roles, while in others the relationship is more informal. Legal obligations and inheritance rules related to nephews differ by jurisdiction and tradition, and there is no universal standard for how nephews are treated within families.

In modern usage, the term can extend to adoptive or in-law relationships in certain contexts, but the precise meaning depends on cultural and legal definitions. Overall, nephews are a common category of extended family, linked by lineage through one’s siblings or by marriage through a spouse.