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Monday 6 August 2012

Entry: avuncular (adj.)

In context: "...the otherwise handsome pedestrian who accepts a gorgeous meter maid's coquettish invitation to have a bit of a lick of the ice cream cone she's just bought from an avuncular sidewalk vendor."

Definitiona. Of, belonging to, or resembling, an uncle.

but also

b. (humorously) Of a pawnbroker: see uncle n.   Also absol.


Other: I'll admit I didn't have an exact handle on this one until I looked it up.


Sometimes Latin seems so useful: Etymology:  < Latin avuncul-us maternal uncle, diminutive of avus grandfather + -ar suffix.

SNOOT score: 2
 
Page: 414

Source: Oxford English Dictionary   


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