What does "aunt" mean?

1. (parent's sister) the sister of your father or mother. 2. (uncle's wife) the wife of your uncle. 3. (close family friend) a woman who is a close friend of your parents, even if she is not a relative.

How do you use "aunt"?

Often used as a title before a first name.

aunt

US //ˈænt// UK //ˈɑːnt// aunt

1 parent's sister (n.)
A1 Beginner

the sister of your father or mother.

the female sibling of one's parent.

Example

My aunt Sarah is my mother's younger sister and lives in London.

Example

After the funeral, my aunt shared stories about growing up with my father that I had never heard before.
- uncle
2 uncle's wife (n.)
A1 Beginner

the wife of your uncle.

the wife of one's parent's sibling.

Example

My uncle Joe and his wife, my aunt Maria, are visiting us.

Example

Although she is technically my aunt by marriage, she has been a central figure in our family for decades.
- uncle

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3 close family friend (n.)
B1 Intermediate Informal

a woman who is a close friend of your parents, even if she is not a relative.

a term of affection or respect for a woman of an older generation, typically a close friend of the family.

Example

Even though we aren't related, I always call my mom's best friend Aunt Linda.

Example

In many cultures, it is customary to address any close female friend of the parents as 'Aunt' as a sign of respect and intimacy.

Usage

Often used as a title before a first name.

Teacher's tip

This is a common example of 'fictive kinship' where family terms are used for non-relatives to show closeness.

Origin

From Middle English aunte, from Anglo-Norman aunte, from Old French ante, from Latin amita (“father's sister”). Displaced native Middle English modrie (“aunt”) (from Old English mōdriġe (“maternal aunt”); compare Old English faþu, faþe (“paternal aunt”)). The digraph ⟨au⟩ representing /æ ~ ɑː/ instead of the expected /ɔː/ is irregular, and has not been conclusively explained (compare launch, which contains /ɑː/ in some UK dialects).