אחיינית
akhyanít/ʔaχjaˈnit/
The Hebrew word for niece is אחיינית (akhyanít). Wiktionary also lists אַחְיָנִית (akhyanít).
Meaning: fraternal or sororal niece (noun)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| אחיינית | akhyanít | /ʔaχjaˈnit/ (Modern Israeli) | |
| אַחְיָנִית | akhyanít | feminine |
This term is used to describe a niece, whether she is the daughter of your brother or your sister.
Which one should you use?
While אחיינית (akhyanít) is the feminine form used for a niece, the masculine form for a nephew is אחיין (akhyán).
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to multiple nieces, use the plural form אחייניות (akhyanítot).
How do you pronounce it?
akhyanít
Did you know?
- The word אחיינית is built on the root אח, which means 'brother'. In Hebrew, the default conceptual root for nephews and nieces is the paternal line, even when referring to a sister's daughter.
- In traditional Hebrew, there are separate terms for a brother's daughter and a sister's daughter, but in modern daily speech, אחיינית is used for both.
- Hebrew is a gender-binary language, meaning you cannot use a gender-neutral term for a 'sibling's child' as you might with the English term 'nibling'.
Examples in context
- היא אחיינית מתוקה מאוד.Hi achayenit metuka me'od.She is a very sweet niece.
- יש לי אחיינית אחת.Yesh li achayenit akhat.I have one niece.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “niece” translations and entries אחיינית, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
