aunt
gb/ˈænt/ us/ˈænt/
A1
English
~ 1000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
female sibling of a parent
The sister of your father or mother, or the wife of your uncle.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s aunt
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'aunt' with 'ant' due to similar pronunciation; context clarifies the meaning.
Synonyms
relative (A general term for a family member, less specific than 'aunt'.)
Antonyms
uncle (The male counterpart to an aunt in family relationships.)
Collocations
maternal aunt
|paternal aunt
|dear aunt
|Aunt [Name]
|visit my aunt
Themes
family
|relationships
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- My aunt is coming to stay with us next week.
- Her aunt taught her how to bake bread.
- I have an aunt who lives in Australia.
- We visited my aunt and uncle during the holidays.
Learner examples
- My aunt lives in the city.
- I like my aunt very much.
- My aunt has two children.
- We saw my aunt last Sunday.
Grammar
Dictionary form
aunt
IPA
GB/ˈænt/
US/ˈænt/
Syllables & stress
aunt (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (aunt)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: aunt
- Plural: aunts
Word family
Expressions
like an aunt to [someone]
1/lˈaɪk ən ˈænt tə sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
woman caring like a family member
Used to describe a woman who cares for someone as if she were their aunt, but is not related by blood.
Examples
- She’s not my real aunt, but she’s like an aunt to me.
- Our neighbor has been like an aunt to all the children on the street.