avuncular
adjective

- kind and friendly towards a younger or less experienced person

- friendly, kind, or helpful, like the expected behaviour of an uncle

- relating to the relationship between men and the children of their siblings

Cambridge Dictionary

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ORIGIN

“Avuncular” meaning “of or pertaining to an uncle” (1789) from Latin avunculus which refers to a maternal (from the mother’s side) uncle.

In Latin the paternal (father’s side) uncle is patruus, literally “little grandfather”.

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PROBLEMS WITH UNCLE

In a figurative sense, avuncular means kind and friendly, like an uncle. This brings up the question: Is “avuncular uncle” a redundant phrase (doppelt gemoppelt)? Not really, because many of us can likely identify an uncle who was not particularly avuncular, and instead was grumpy and irritable like Uncle Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ famous novel A Christmas Carol.

Modern times demand that we give equal time to women and that applies to etymology as well. This raises another interesting question: Is it correct to use the adjective “avuncular” when referring to an aunt? That would sound really weird. Synonyms like friendly and nice would be better alternatives.

By the way, avuncular does have a female equivalent referred to as “materteral”, which could be translated as “kindly aunt”. This word is seldom used however, and usually only in a medical/scientific context to describe a genetic relationship.

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SYNONYMS

affable, affectionate, all heart, amiable, amicable, AVUNCULAR, benevolent, benign, big-hearted, caring, cheery, congenial, dove-like, empathetic, empathic, fatherlike, genial, good-hearted, good-tempered, heart in right place, jovial, kindhearted, kindly, mild-mannered, old softie, tender-hearted, warm-hearted

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Jim’s AVUNCULAR nature makes him one of our most popular employees.”

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