from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
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.]
[1913 Webster]
But if any widow have children or nephews [Rev. Ver.
{grandchildren}]. --1 Tim. v. 4.
[1913 Webster]
If naturalists say true that nephews are often liker
to their grandfathers than to their fathers. --Jer.
Taylor.
[1913 Webster]
2. A cousin. [Obs.] --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
3. The son of a brother or a sister, or of a brother-in-law
or sister-in-law. --Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]