aunt

An aunt is a person who is related to a child through the child’s parent, most often as the sister of one parent or the wife of an uncle. In common usage, a paternal aunt is the sister of the father, while a maternal aunt is the sister of the mother. The wife of an uncle is typically called an aunt as well, sometimes specified as an aunt by marriage.

The term may also extend to more distant relatives, such as a great-aunt (or grandaunt), who is the sister of one’s grandparent, or the wife of that sibling’s child in some families. The precise usage can vary by culture and family.

Aunts commonly play a variety of roles in families, including caregiver, mentor, and confidante. They may help with childcare, pass along family stories and traditions, and provide guidance, support, and affection. The degree of involvement depends on individual family dynamics and cultural expectations.

In English, “aunt” is the standard term, with forms of address such as Aunt [Name], Auntie, or simply Aunt. Other languages often distinguish paternal from maternal aunts and may have different terms reflecting those relationships.

Etymology: The English word aunt derives from Old French tante, related to similar terms in other Romance languages; the exact historical path from Latin or Proto-Romance sources varies among scholars.