Aunt Definition: Sister of Your Parent

Meaning 1：sister of one's parent (aunt)

aunt 🔊

/ænt/

The sister of your father or mother, or the wife of your parent's brother.

Aunt teaching kids to bake cookies in sunny kitchen

sister of one's parent 🔊

➕

/ˈsɪstər əv wʌnz ˈpɛrənt/

A female relative who is the sister of a person's father or mother, or the wife of a person's uncle.

📁 Category：Social Roles 🔖 Level：beginner

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'amita' (father's sister), via Old French 'ante' into English.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'ant' with a 'u' — your aunt is like a friendly ant who brings treats to your home.

📖 Example

At the family reunion, my aunt brought her famous apple pie, and all the kids gathered around her to hear stories. 🔊 At the family reunion, my aunt brought her famous apple pie, and all the kids gathered around her to hear stories.

🔗 Collocations

my aunt – My female relative who is the sister of one of my parents.

Aunt Mary – A specific aunt named Mary.

visit my aunt – Go to see my aunt at her home.

🔄 Synonyms

parent's sister (n. phrase) – A more formal way to refer to a person who is the sister of one's father or mother.

auntie (n.) – An informal or affectionate term for an aunt.

mother's sister (n. phrase) – Specifically the sister of a person's mother.

🚫 Antonyms

uncle (n.) – The brother of one's parent or the husband of one's aunt.

nephew (n.) – A son of one's sibling or spouse's sibling; opposite generational role.

niece (n.) – A daughter of one's sibling or spouse's sibling; opposite generational role.

🌱 Derivatives

auntie (n.) – An informal or affectionate term for an aunt.

great-aunt (n.) – The aunt of one's parent, i.e., one generation older than an aunt.

aunty (n.) – Variant spelling of 'auntie', used informally.

📖 Cultural Story

Originally from Latin 'amita' for father's sister, the word entered English after the Norman Conquest, replacing Old English 'modrige'. Over time, its meaning broadened to include mother's sister and uncle's wife.