1
: the sister of one's father or mother
2
: the wife of one's uncle or aunt
aunthood
ˈant-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce aunt (audio)
ˈänt-
noun
auntlike
ˈant-ˌlīk How to pronounce aunt (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The text messages were cryptic and didn’t sound at all like Hannah, according to her aunt. Wendy Grossman Kantor, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024 My aunt brought a tray of braciole, a sumptuous roll of beef and breadcrumbs. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2024 Alvarez's aunt had called Varelas on Tuesday morning to tell Valeras he had been found. Karen Bartunek, The Arizona Republic, 14 Nov. 2024 Joanne, Gaga’s 2016 album, was named after her late aunt, and featured Gaga looking up into a cowboy hat on its cover. Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for aunt 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of aunt was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near aunt

Cite this Entry

“Aunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aunt. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

aunt

noun
ˈant How to pronounce aunt (audio)
ˈȧnt
1
: the sister of one's father or mother
2
: the wife of one's uncle or aunt

More from Merriam-Webster on aunt

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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