uncles
PronouncedUHNG-kuhlz
nounMore than one brother or brother-in-law of someone's parent.
nounMore than one close male friend of someone's parent, treated like a family member.
nounMore than one male cousin of someone's parent.
nounMore than one affectionate term for an older man, especially a friend of someone's parents.
Syllables
2 syllables
Letters
Phonics breakdown
Phonics Rule: Prefix UN-
Sound“uhn”·/ʌn/
UN- means 'not' or 'the opposite of'. 'Unhappy' means 'not happy'.
The prefix un- is added to the beginning of a word to mean 'not' or to reverse an action. 'Happy' → 'unhappy' (not happy). 'Do' → 'undo' (reverse doing).
Tip
UN makes it undone — unhappy, unfair, unlike!
Examples
Phonics Rule: CL Blend
Sound“kl”·/kl/
C and L blend together — you hear both sounds! Like in 'class' and 'clean'.
The blend CL combines /k/ and /l/ spoken quickly together.
Examples
Phonics Rule: Plural -S (/z/ sound)
Sound“z”·/z/
After a buzzing sound or a vowel, the plural ending says /z/ — like 'dogs' and 'shoes'.
Put a finger on your throat and say 'zzzz' — you feel a buzz. When the word ends in a buzzing (voiced) sound or a vowel, the plural ending buzzes too and says /z/. This happens whether the word is spelled -s (dogs) or -es (shoes, trees), because in shoes the e is silent and only the s is sounded. Most people never notice they are doing this.
Examples
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