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of, relating to, or characteristic of an uncle:
avuncular affection.
contemporary examples

at precisely 11:00, nra president david keene plodded slowly to the podium, bespectacled, white haired, and avuncular.
the nra: from awful to even worse mich-lle cottle december 21, 2012

fdr gives an avuncular grin around his famous cigarette holder to andrew jackson.
the 100 coolest americans gather at the national portrait gallery william o’connor february 6, 2014

from cairo, ashraf khalil reports on the clash between an aggressive amr moussa and avuncular abdel moneim aboul fotouh.
moussa, aboul fotouh spar in egypt’s epic first presidential debate ashraf khalil may 10, 2012

he was tall, but slight and avuncular, like a friendly neighbor.
the last columbine mystery dave cullen february 23, 2010

“you paid good money for this,” says the vacuum cleaner guy (brilliantly played by an avuncular but ruthless robert forster).
‘granite state,’ the penultimate episode of ‘breaking bad,’ is walter white’s final act andrew romano september 22, 2013

historical examples

let us whisper it: did he inherit the avuncular tendency to obesity?
lippincott’s magazine of popular literature and science, vol. xii. no. 31. october, 1873. various

my secretary had been elevated to avuncular rank after a probation of just three hours.
the right stuff ian hay

the time would soon come when the avuncular character would be more difficult to support than that of a rejected absentee.
the honour of the clintons archibald marshall

i do not wish to speak of jennie in a fatherly or avuncular manner.
the tower of oblivion oliver onions

it being time for all good little children to be in bed and asleep, arthur was both at the moment of the avuncular visit.
the comic history of england gilbert abbott a’beckett

adjective
of or concerned with an uncle
resembling an uncle; friendly; helpful
adj.

1789, from latin avunculus “maternal uncle,” diminutive of avus (see uncle) + -ar. used humorously for “of a p-wnbroker” (uncle was slang for “p-wnbroker” from c.1600 through 19c.).

my only good suit is at present under the avuncular protection. [“fraser’s magazine,” 1832]