niece

noun

ˈnēs How to pronounce niece (audio)
plural nieces
: a daughter of one's brother, sister, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law

Examples of niece in a Sentence

If he's my uncle, then I'm his niece.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem was at the Six Flags park with several family members to celebrate his niece's birthday and was sitting beside his niece when he was ejected from the Goliath roller coaster, a relative told ABC News. — ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026 Survivors include his sister-in-law, Gertrude; his nieces, Diane and Tina; and his nephew, Peter. — Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026 Zharkyn took on the mission to keep felting alive, teaching her sister and nieces the practice, too. — Yulia Denisyuk, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026 Chan Luu is hardly an emerging brand because of its rich history, but Tessa Tran, the niece of Chan Luu, bought back the family business in 2023 and has since revived the line as artistic director. — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for niece

Word History

Etymology

Middle English nece granddaughter, niece, from Anglo-French nece, niece, from Late Latin neptia, from Latin neptis; akin to Latin nepot-, nepos grandson, nephew — more at nephew

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of niece was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing niece

Rhymes for niece

See All Rhymes for niece

Browse Nearby Words

Niebuhr
niece
nieceless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Niece.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/niece. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

niece

noun
ˈnēs How to pronounce niece (audio)
: a daughter of one's brother, sister, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law
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