Nephew \Neph"ew\ (n[e^]f"[-u]; in England n[e^]v"[-u]; 277), n. [OE. neveu, nevou, nevu, fr. F. neveu, OF. also, nevou, L. nepos; akin to AS. nefa, D. neef, G. neffe, OHG. nevo, Icel. nefi a kinsman, gr. ne`podes, pl., brood, young, Skr. nep[=a]t grandson, descendant. [root]262. Cf. Niece, Nepotism.]

1. A grandson or grandchild, or remoter lineal descendant. [Obs.]

But if any widow have children or nephews [Rev. Ver. grandchildren]. --1 Tim. v. 4.

If naturalists say true that nephews are often liker to their grandfathers than to their fathers. --Jer. Taylor.

2. A cousin. [Obs.]

--Shak.

3. The son of a brother or a sister, or of a brother-in-law or sister-in-law. --Chaucer.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)