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An uncle is a male relative who is a sibling of a parent or married to a sibling of a parent. Uncles who are related by birth are second-degree relatives. The female counterpart of an uncle is an aunt, and the reciprocal relationship is that of a nephew or niece. The word comes from Latin: avunculus the diminutive of avus "grandfather" and is a family relationship within an extended or immediate family. In some cultures and families (such as in Africa), children may also refer to the cousins of their parents as aunt or uncle due to the age difference. It is also a title of respect for elders (for example older cousins, neighbours, acquaintances, close family friends, and even sometimes total strangers). Using the term in this way is a form of fictive kinship.