Antonyms for aunt


Grammar : Noun
Spell : ant, ahnt
Phonetic Transcription : ænt, ɑnt


Definition of aunt

Origin :
  • c.1300, from Anglo-French aunte, Old French ante (Modern French tante, from a 13c. variant), from Latin amita "paternal aunt" diminutive of *amma a baby-talk word for "mother" (cf. Greek amma "mother," Old Norse amma "grandmother," Middle Irish ammait "old hag," Hebrew em, Arabic umm "mother").
  • Extended senses include "an old woman, a gossip" (1580s); "a procuress" (1670s); and "any benevolent woman," in American English, where auntie was recorded since c.1790 as "a term often used in accosting elderly women." The French word also has become the word for "aunt" in Dutch, German (Tante), and Danish. Swedish has retained the original Germanic (and Indo-European) custom of distinguishing aunts by separate terms derived from "father's sister" (faster) and "mother's sister" (moster). The Old English equivalents were faðu and modrige. In Latin, too, the formal word for "aunt on mother's side" was matertera. Some languages have a separate term for aunts-in-law as opposed to blood relations.
  • As in relative : noun member of a family
  • As in woman : noun female human
  • As in kinsman : noun relative
  • As in kinswoman : noun relative
Example sentences :
  • I shall be staying with Aunt Cornelia a few days after to-morrow.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • Tell Aunt Cornelia, please, that I shall be along in just a moment.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • It's funny—that's exactly what I told Aunt Cornelia about that—that man.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • His aunt, the Duchess of Savoy, is a merry dame, and a wise!
  • Extract from : « The Armourer's Prentices » by Charlotte M. Yonge
  • Aunt Jane approached a degree nearer the equator, and said, gently, "I fear I do."
  • Extract from : « Malbone » by Thomas Wentworth Higginson
  • "He certainly was not what is called a domestic character," said Aunt Jane.
  • Extract from : « Malbone » by Thomas Wentworth Higginson
  • It was a very serious thing for the elements when they got into Aunt Jane's diary.
  • Extract from : « Malbone » by Thomas Wentworth Higginson
  • "It is a blessing that any of it is disposed of while you are not here," said Aunt Jane.
  • Extract from : « Malbone » by Thomas Wentworth Higginson
  • "Nobody ever thinks I see anything," said Aunt Jane, in some dejection.
  • Extract from : « Malbone » by Thomas Wentworth Higginson
  • Your aunt has been forced to engage not to interfere but by your father's direction.
  • Extract from : « Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9) » by Samuel Richardson

Synonyms for aunt

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019