piuthar-athar
feminine
In Gaelic, the word for "aunt" is piuthar-athar. Wiktionary also lists piuthar-màthar and antaidh.
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| Gaelic | Note |
|---|---|
| piuthar-athar | feminine |
| piuthar-màthar | feminine |
| antaidh | feminine |
The term refers to a woman who is either the sister of one's parent or a sister-in-law to one's parent.
Which one should you use?
The term antaidh is also a feminine noun used for aunt.
How does it change in a sentence?
All three forms are feminine nouns.
Did you know?
- The word antaidh is a loanword derived from the English 'auntie'. It reflects how English has influenced the spoken vocabulary of Gaelic over time.
- The word piuthar is an old term for 'sibling' or 'relative' that is rarely used on its own today, appearing almost exclusively in these compound words for aunts.
- If you were referring to your mother's sister, you would say piuthar-màthar, which means 'sister of the mother'.
Example sentences for Gaelic are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Eilidh and Finlay are talking about a family party.
- EilidhAn robh do piuthar-athar aig an luchd-glèidhidh?Was your aunt at the gathering?
- FinlayCha robh i an sin, chan eil i an seo.She wasn't there, she is not here.
- EilidhTha mi duilich a chloisdadh, Eilidh.I am sorry to hear that, Eilidh.
- FinlayTapadh leat, Finlay.Thank you, Finlay.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries piuthar-athar, piuthar-màthar, antaidh, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries antaidh, piuthar-athar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
