aunte

Middle English

Alternative forms

• ante, aunt, awnte, naunte

Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman aunte and continental Old French ante, from Latin amita.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈau̯nt(ə)/, /ˈant(ə)/

Noun

aunte (plural auntes)

1. aunt (sister of one's parents)

   Synonym: (early) moddrie

   • 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The [Mannes] Tale [of Lawe]”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 125, verso:

     The senatours wyf / hir Aunte was / But foꝛ al that / she knew hir neuer the mooꝛe

     The senator's wife was her aunt, / but despite that, she didn't know her at all.

Descendants

• English: aunt (see there for further descendants)
• Scots: aunt

References

• “aunte, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Old French

Noun

aunte oblique singular, f (oblique plural auntes, nominative singular aunte, nominative plural auntes)

1. Late Anglo-Norman spelling of ante