aunt

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Pronunciation

• (RP, Australia, New England, AAVE, some other US areas) enPR: änt, IPA: /ɑ(ː)nt/
• (Northern England, Canada, America) enPR: ănt, IPA: /ænt/ (in the US, this is the most common pronunciation in all regions except New England and Virginia)
• (Scotland) IPA: /ant/
• (Canada, Maritimes) IPA: /ɒnt/
• (New England) enPR: ônt, IPA: /ɔnt/
• (Southern US, occasionally) IPA: /eɪnt/

Noun

aunt (plural aunts)

1. The sister or sister-in-law of one’s parent.
   • 1923, P.G. Wodehouse, The Inimitable Jeeves:

     As a rule, you see, I'm not lugged into Family Rows. On the occasions when Aunt is calling to Aunt like mastodons bellowing across primeval swamps and Uncle James's letter about Cousin Mabel's peculiar behaviour is being shot round the family circle... the clan has a tendency to ignore me.

2. (affectionate) The female cousin of one’s parent.
3. (affectionate) A woman of an older generation than oneself, especially a friend of one's parents, by means of fictive kin.
4. (obsolete) Any elderly woman.
5. (obsolete) A procuress or bawd.

Antonyms

• (with regard to gender) uncle
• (with regard to ancestry) niece, nephew

Translations

• French: tante, tatie (informal)
• German: Tante
• Italian: zia
• Portuguese: tia
• Russian: тётя
• Spanish: tía

Translations

• German: Tante
• Italian: zia
• Portuguese: tia
• Russian: (colloquial) тётя

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