neve
Neve (noun) means an old, now largely obsolete word for a nephew, grandson, or male cousin. Example: “In the will, the estate passed to his neve rather than his own children.”
How to use neve
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn archaic term meaning roughly what "nephew" means today, though it originally covered grandsons and cousins too.
Don't confuse this obsolete kinship word with the unrelated glacier-science term "névé" (compacted granular snow) — they're spelled almost the same but come from completely different origins.
Word forms
neves plural, Neves plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
In the will, the estate passed to his _____ rather than his own children.
Etymology
From Old English nefa ("nephew, grandson"), the same root that eventually gave English "nephew" — "neve" simply fell out of everyday use as "nephew" took over.
Rhymes for neve
See all rhymes for neve →Frequently asked questions
What does “neve” mean?
The word “neve” means an old, now largely obsolete word for a nephew, grandson, or male cousin. In plain terms, an archaic term meaning roughly what "nephew" means today, though it originally covered grandsons and cousins too.
How do you pronounce “neve”?
“Neve” is pronounced neev (/niːv/ in IPA).
How do you use “neve” in a sentence?
Here is “neve” used in a sentence: “In the will, the estate passed to his neve rather than his own children.”
What part of speech is “neve”?
“Neve” is a noun.
Where does the word “neve” come from?
The word “neve” comes from Old English. From Old English nefa ("nephew, grandson"), the same root that eventually gave English "nephew" — "neve" simply fell out of everyday use as "nephew" took over.