What is the generic term for a group of nieces and nephews?
My mother has always wondered if there was a generic term for nieces and nephews, i.e. “I have two nieces and three nephews so I have five ______.” Is there a generic term that covers both? Once can say he/she has multiple siblings or two parents or multiple children, so is there an equivalent for nieces and nephews?
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“my siblings’ kids”. <shrug> I don’t think there is one.
Someone asked this question on the Oxford “Ask the Experts” website. This was the response:
Is there a word like ‘siblings’ for nephews and nieces collectively?
No, though it would be very useful. In fact nephew used to be used regardless of sex, but this usage is long extinct. Older use of the word cousin for a range of blood relations would have encompassed nephews and nieces, but no specific term is now available.
Source: http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwords/siblings
If there isn’t and I can’t think of one if there is there should be!
@johnny0313x: I am still laughing. Bwah.
I call mine “beasts.” I love them dearly. XD
This thread reminds me of an old joke I heard. it was a ‘blonde” joke, but to be PC, let’s just use the term moron instead.
A moron’s sister got inot a horrible car accident durin the last few weeks of her pregnancy. She was comatose, so the twins she was carrying were delivered by emergnecy c-section.
When she came to, the first concern was her unborn babies. The moron said to her frantic sister “Don’t worry, I took care of everything for you. The twins are fine. I even named them for you.”
The Mother worried about this, thinking the moron would choose a stupid name. ” What did you name the girl?” She asked.
“Denise. ” replied the moron.
“Hmm, that’s not too bad… what about the boy?”
get ready to groan…...
Da Nephew!!
First Cousins Once Removed, if you want to get technical about it.
Your cousins are the people in your family who share grandparents. Then, you add “removed” to show how many generations away they are, in either direction. Since your kids are your nephew’s first cousins, and you are one generation removed from your kids, you and your nieces and nephews are “first cousins once removed.”
More info here.
@laureth thanks for the info, but it doesn’t seem like much of a shortcut.. ha ha!!
No there isn’t a term for it. Not collectively like you are thinking. Hope this helps.
How about your brother’s fluther?!
Hahaha, all these answers are great. Though, my mom will be disappointed to know that there is no word. However, all of the answers will greatly amuse her. :)
No – I lost count of my nieces and nephews when the count got into double figures. I have loads of them. How about making one up – like a ‘chorus’ of nieces/nephews. Because after all, when they all get together, they certainly make a noise! Or is that just my family…..?
@chocstar: I like that! A chorus… My mother only has two nephews my only two cousins but they make a lot of noise when we’re all together!
I like niblings! Welcome to Fluther, @justmel. :)
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