nuncle
English edit
Etymology edit
From rebracketing of phrases an uncle, mine uncle, thine uncle, etc. Compare neam and naunt.
For the verb, OED suggests an evolution in sense "to claim to be one's uncle" > "to cheat". It compares this derivation with cozen, which it derives from cousin.
For the technical anthropological sense, compare nibling.
Noun edit
nuncle (plural nuncles)
- (archaic or dialectal) Uncle.
- 1605, Shakespeare, King Lear:
- Fool: Prithee, nuncle, tell me whether a madman be a gentleman or a yeoman?
- (linguistics, anthropology, in the study of kinship terminology) Aunt or uncle; sibling of a parent (regardless of gender).
Verb edit
nuncle (third-person singular simple present nuncles, present participle nuncling, simple past and past participle nuncled)