avuncular

IPA/əˈvʌŋkjələ(r)/
KK[əvˈʌŋkjəlɚ]IPA/əˈvʌŋkjələr/

avuncular — adjective

  • avuncularpositive
  • more avuncularcomparative
  • most avuncularsuperlative

1. showing the warm, reassuring manner people often connect with a caring uncle

1.形容詞C2
釋義

showing the warm, reassuring manner people often connect with a caring uncle

例句

The new principal gave the nervous pupils an avuncular smile.

collocation: avuncular smile

Dr. Baraka sounded avuncular before Rachel's blood test.

linking verb: sounded avuncular

同義詞
  • genial

    stresses cheerful friendliness more than the uncle-like mentoring tone of 'avuncular'

  • kindly

    focuses on warmth and sympathy, but lacks the older-man social image

  • paternal

    suggests a more fatherly or authoritative relationship than 'avuncular'

反義詞
  • stern

    suggests strictness and little warmth

  • cold

    shows emotional distance rather than friendly reassurance

文法句型

an avuncular smile

an avuncular tone

sound avuncular

用法筆記

Usually describes a person's manner rather than an actual family relationship. It often appears with nouns such as smile, tone, or manner, and suggests calm authority as well as kindness.

常見錯誤

❌The office has an avuncular style.
✅The manager has an avuncular style.
💡use 'avuncular' for a person's manner, not for a place by itself.

2. connected with an uncle or with the role an uncle has within a family

2.形容詞C2
釋義

connected with an uncle or with the role an uncle has within a family

例句

The article examined avuncular duties in traditional village families.

formal collocation: avuncular duties

The judge reviewed avuncular rights after the boy's father died.

formal collocation: avuncular rights

同義詞
  • familial

    much broader, covering family relations in general rather than uncle-specific ones

  • kinship

    usually broader and often used for family systems as a whole

文法句型

avuncular relationship

avuncular rights

avuncular duties

用法筆記

Mainly seen in legal, historical, or anthropological writing. It usually modifies nouns such as relationship, rights, duties, or authority, rather than describing somebody's personality.