aunt

aunt
[[t]ænt, ɑnt[/t]]
n.
1) the sister of one's father or mother
2) the wife of one's uncle
3) dial. Chiefly New Eng. and South Midland U.S. (used as a term of respectful address to an older woman unrelated to the speaker.)
Etymology: 1250–1300; ME aunte < AF, for OF ante < L amita father's sister, old fem. ptp. of amāre to love, i.e., beloved pron: In New England and E Virginia, a “broad a” pronunciation of aunt, resembling either the (ӓ) of car or a vowel midway in quality between (ӓ) and the (a) of hat, occurs in the speech of all social groups, even those who do not use the sound in words like dance and laugh.

From formal English to slang. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Aunt — Aunt, n. [OF. ante, F. tante, L. amita father s sister. Cf. {Amma}.] 1. The sister of one s father or mother; correlative to nephew or niece. Also applied to an uncle s wife. [1913 Webster] Note: Aunt is sometimes applied as a title or term of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • aunt — (n.) c.1300, from Anglo Fr. aunte, from O.Fr. ante (Mod.Fr. tante, from a 13c. variant), from L. amita paternal aunt dim. of *amma a baby talk word for mother (Cf. Gk. amma mother, O.N. amma grandmother, M.Ir. ammait old hag, Heb. em …   Etymology dictionary

  • aunt — aunt; aunt·sary; ble·aunt; aunt·ie; …   English syllables

  • aunt — [a:nt US ænt] n [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: ante, from Latin amita] the sister of your father or mother, or the wife of your father s or mother s brother ▪ Aunt Mary →↑agony aunt …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • aunt — [ ænt ] noun count *** the sister of your mother or father, or the wife of your UNCLE: I loved visiting my aunt and uncle. Hello, Aunt Betty …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • aunt|y — «AN tee, AHN », noun, plural aunt|ies. Informal. a diminutive of aunt …   Useful english dictionary

  • aunt — [ant, änt] n. [ME & OFr aunte < L amita, paternal aunt, dim. of * amma, mother (< baby talk)] 1. a sister of one s mother or father 2. the wife of one s uncle …   English World dictionary

  • aunt|ly — «ANT lee, AHNT », adjective. of or characteristic of an aunt: »“It is no good your trying to excuse your infamous conduct…!” This is the true, auntly note (Kenneth Tynan) …   Useful english dictionary

  • aunt — ► NOUN ▪ the sister of one s father or mother or the wife of one s uncle. ORIGIN Old French ante, from Latin amita …   English terms dictionary

  • Aunt Ed|na — «EHD nuh», British. a conventional person of pedestrian tastes, especially as personifying a typical member of the audience at a play, or the average viewer of a television program …   Useful english dictionary

  • aunt|ie — «AN tee, AHN », noun. = aunty. (Cf. ↑aunty) …   Useful english dictionary

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