what is aunt

An aunt is a woman who is a sibling of a parent or married to a sibling of a parent. The most common usage of the term refers to the sister of ones father or mother. Alternate terms include auntie or aunty. Aunts who are related by birth are second-degree relatives. Children in some cultures and families may refer to the cousins of their parents as aunt or uncle due to the age and generation gap. The word comes from Latin: amita via Old French ante and is a family relationship within an extended or immediate family. The male counterpart of an aunt is an uncle, and the reciprocal relationship is that of a nephew or niece. A half-aunt is a half-sister of a parent, while an aunt-in-law is the aunt of ones spouse. A great-aunt/grandaunt is the sister of ones grandparent. The term "aunt" can also be used as a term of address used by children for any woman, especially for a friend of the parents.