nephew [ME] A nephew could originally also be a grandson—the word nephew comes via Old French neveu, from Latin nepos ‘nephew, grandson’. Nepotism [M17th], or favouritism towards friends or relations, also comes from nepos. The reference is to privileged treatment formerly given to the ‘nephews’ of popes, who were in many cases their illegitimate sons. Niece [ME] comes from Latin neptis the feminine form of nepos.