avuncular

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The Word of the Day for March 6 is: 

avuncular   \uh-VUNK-yuh-ler\   adjective
     1 : of or relating to an uncle 
    *2 : suggestive of an uncle especially in kindliness or 
geniality

Example sentence:
     Despite avuncular assurances that he remembered what it 
was like to be young, Katy's landlord still expected her to be 
a responsible tenant.

Did you know?
     Not all uncles are likeable fellows (Hamlet's murderous 
Uncle Claudius, for example, isn't exactly Mr. Nice Guy in 
Shakespeare's tragedy), but "avuncular" reveals that, as a 
group, uncles are generally seen as affable and benevolent, if 
at times a bit patronizing. "Avuncular" derives from the Latin 
noun "avunculus," which translates as "maternal uncle," but 
since at least the 1830s English speakers have used "avuncular" 
to refer to uncles from either side of the family or even to 
individuals who are simply uncle-like in character or behavior. 
By the way (just in case you were wondering), "avunculus" is 
also an ancestor of the word "uncle" itself.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.