aunt

noun

ˈant  ˈänt 

1

: the sister of one's father or mother

2

: the wife of one's uncle or aunt

aunthood

ˈant-ˌhu̇d 

ˈänt-

noun

auntlike

ˈant-ˌlīk 

ˈänt-

adjective

auntly adjective

Examples of aunt in a Sentence

He has three aunts and two uncles.

This is my Aunt Mary.

Recent Examples on the Web

Most prestigiously, his aunt, Paula Ryan, was the first girls 1,000-point scorer and a member of the school’s Hall of Fame. —Erik Anderson, Boston Herald, 21 Feb. 2026

Both her mother and aunt were treated for cancer at the center and are now cancer free. —Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026

The victim’s son is now living with his aunt in Georgia, far from the once-bloody home where Reyes-Gomez breathed her last breath. —Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2026

The Spencers have a relationship with the House of Windsor dating back generations, and Lady Anne enjoyed a close relationship with the royal family, thanks to her four aunts being Ladies-in-Waiting to the Queen Mother and her own mother serving as a Lady-to-the-Bedchamber. —Stephanie Bridger-Linning, Vanity Fair, 17 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old French ante, from Latin amita; akin to Old High German amma mother, nurse, Greek amma nurse

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing aunt

• agony aunt
• aunt-in-law
• great-aunt

Rhymes for aunt

• ant
• cant
• chant
• gant
• lant
• pant
• plant
• quant
• rant
• sant
• scant
• slant

Kids Definition

aunt

noun

ˈant 

ˈȧnt

1

: the sister of one's father or mother

2

: the wife of one's uncle or aunt