nephew: [13] Nephew goes back ultimately to Indo-European *nepōt-, which denoted a range of indirect male descendants, including ‘grandson’ and ‘nephew’. Among its offspring were Greek anepsiós ‘nephew’, Sanskrit nápāt ‘grandson’, Germanic *nebon (source of German neffe and Dutch neef ‘nephew’), and Latin nepōs ‘nephew, grandson’ (source of English nepotism [17], etymologically ‘favouring one’s nephews’).
This passed into Old French as neveu, from which English got nephew (replacing the related native English term neve). The corresponding Indo-European feminine form was *neptī-, which is the ultimate source of English niece. => nepotism, niece
nephew (n.)
c. 1300, from Old French neveu (Old North French nevu) "grandson, descendant," from Latin nepotem (nominative nepos) "sister's son, grandson, descendant," in post-Augustan Latin, "nephew," from PIE *nepot- "grandchild," and in a general sense, "male descendant other than son" (cognates: Sanskrit napat "grandson, descendant;" Old Persian napat- "grandson;" Old Lithuanian nepuotis "grandson;" Dutch neef; German Neffe "nephew;" Old Irish nia, genitive niath "son of a sister," Welsh nei). Used in English in all the classical senses until meaning narrowed in 17c., and also as a euphemism for "the illegitimate son of an ecclesiastic" (1580s). The Old English cognate, nefa "nephew, stepson, grandson, second cousin" survived to 16c.
雙語例句
1. "Cut her out of your will," urged his nephew.
“把她從你的遺囑中刪去，”他的侄子催促道。
來自柯林斯例句
2. She has a nephew who is just ten years of age.
她有一個才10歲的侄子。
來自柯林斯例句
3. Last month a shopkeeper's nephew was shot dead.
上個月一名店主的侄子被槍殺了。
來自柯林斯例句
4. He entrusted the task to his nephew.
他把這任務托付給了他的侄兒。
來自《權威詞典》
5. The Richards I and II implants ( Smith & Nephew ) have a deep, trochlear groove.
RichardsI和II植入物 ( Smith & Nephew ) 有一條很深的限制性的滑車凹槽.