Pibling
A gender-neutral word for your parent's sibling: an aunt, an uncle, or neither.
A pibling is your parent's sibling: an aunt or an uncle, in one word that does not assign either. It is built the same way as [[nibling|nibling]], with the p of parent in place of the n.
It is one of the words a [[nonbinary|nonbinary]] person might ask the children in the family to use, and it also works as a collective: my piblings.
It is not the only option. Dictionary.com lists several others that people use or have proposed: titi, modelled on the Spanish tía and tío; zizi, from the Italian zia and zio; bibi and nini, which take the b or n of nonbinary; auncle; and unty or untie. Some families simply invent their own, the way grandparents sometimes do.
Pibling is newer and rarer than nibling. Wiktionary labels it rare and dates it to this century.
The only rule that matters is the one Dictionary.com puts plainly: use the term your relative prefers. Some nonbinary people are glad to be an aunt or an uncle, and some are not. Ask.
Pibling is not a family nickname
It sounds like a pet name one family made up, and people sometimes treat it that way. It is a kinship word, like sibling, with a fixed meaning: your parent's sibling, of any gender.
It is also not compulsory for nonbinary relatives. It is an option, alongside several others, and alongside aunt and uncle for the people who want those.
Saying it well
Say this
- This is my pibling.
- Ask your pibling, they will know.
- I am the kids' pibling.
- Aunt, uncle, pibling or titi: whichever you like.
Not this
- Just pick aunt or uncle
- That is not a real word
- Using pibling after someone has asked to be called aunt
- Telling the children it is just a phase
Questions people actually ask
What is a pibling?
Your parent's sibling. It is a gender-neutral word covering aunts, uncles and parents' siblings who are neither.
What is a gender-neutral word for aunt or uncle?
Pibling is the best known. Others include titi, zizi, bibi, nini, auncle and unty.
Is pibling a real word?
Yes. It is recorded by Wiktionary and discussed by Dictionary.com, though it is still rare and relatively new.
What should I call my nonbinary aunt or uncle?
Whatever they ask for. Some prefer pibling, some another word, some aunt or uncle.