tantie
n.n. a word for 'aunt' that is common in the Caribbean. People also use it to talk respectfully to an older woman who is a close family friend.
n. a colloquial term for 'aunt', common in Caribbean English. It also serves as a respectful form of address for any older woman within a community.
My tantie is visiting from Trinidad this summer.
All the children on the street call the kind woman who runs the shop 'Tantie,' even though they are not related.
The honorific 'Tantie' is conferred not just by blood but by a community's collective affection, marking a woman as a pillar of wisdom and care for all.