avuncular

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

avuncular — 形容詞

  • 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

慈祥的

像親切叔叔般溫和可靠

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

例句

The new principal gave the nervous pupils an avuncular smile.

新校長給緊張的學生一個慈祥的笑容。

collocation: avuncular smile

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

Baraka 醫師在 Rachel 驗血前，用長輩般的口氣和她開玩笑。

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

叔伯的

和叔叔、伯父或舅舅有關

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.

那篇文章探討傳統村落家庭中的叔伯責任。

formal collocation: avuncular duties

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

男孩父親過世後，法官重新審視叔伯權利。

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.