niece

UK: /ˈniːs/ US: /nis/ ,(nēs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

niece /nis/   n. [countable]

1. a daughter of one's brother or sister.
2. a daughter of one's spouse's brother or sister.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

niece  (nēs), n. 

1. a daughter of a person's brother or sister.
2. a daughter of a person's spouse's brother or sister.

• Gmc; akin to Lithuanian neptė̃, Sanskrit naptī; compare nephew
• Vulgar Latin *neptia, for Latin neptis granddaughter; replacing Middle English nifte, Old English nift niece (cognate with Old Frisian, Old High German nift, Dutch nicht, Old Norse nipt)
• Old French
• Middle English nece 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

niece / niːs/ noun

1. a daughter of one's sister or brother

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French niece granddaughter, ultimately from Latin neptis granddaughter