amita
[ˈa.mɪ.ta]
The Latin word for aunt can be expressed as amita, mātertera or thia.
Meaning: a parent's sister or sister-in-law (noun)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA |
|---|---|
| amita | [ˈa.mɪ.ta] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈaː.mi.ta] (narrow) |
| mātertera | |
| thia | [ˈtʰiː.a] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈtiː.a] (narrow) |
In Latin, the word you choose to describe an aunt depends on which side of the family she belongs to.
Which one should you use?
amita specifically refers to a paternal aunt (your father's sister). If you want to refer specifically to a maternal aunt (your mother's sister), you should use mātertera. The term thia is also a form used for aunt.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular genitive form of amita, meaning "of the aunt", is amitae.
Did you know?
- The term thia is not originally Latin but was borrowed from the Ancient Greek word θείᾱ.
- The word mātertera is a compound of 'mother' and 'other', essentially labeling the woman as a 'second mother' on the maternal side.
Examples in context
- Ubi amita tua est?Where's your aunt?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of an amita.Tatoeba #8932747 by alexmarcelo, translation #7453787 by CK
- Amita mea non est.She is not my aunt.This sentence is useful for stating the absence of an amita.Tatoeba #11130172 by carlosalberto, translation #11130168 by carlosalberto
- Quae amita tua est?Who's your aunt?This sentence is useful for asking for the identity of an amita.Tatoeba #8932746 by alexmarcelo, translation #6049457 by mailohilohi
- Ave, amita! Quid agitur in tua vita?Greetings, aunt! How is life treating you?
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Lucius are looking at a family portrait.
- JuliaVisne scire quis est haec amita?Do you want to know who this aunt is?
- LuciusIta, quis est amita tua?Yes, who is your aunt?
- JuliaHaec amita est soror patris mei.This aunt is my father's sister.
- LuciusPulchra est amita tua, Julia.Your aunt is beautiful, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries amita, thia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amita, thia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
