What Do British People Call Their Aunts?
In Britain, aunty is more commonly used than auntie, while in America, auntie is more commonly used. In most cases, it replaces the word aunt.
Auntie is the term for a British aunt (not uncle), and auntie is used interchangeably with auntie when talking about female family members.
Aunt is a word used for a woman who lives with her parents or siblings. They call them Aunty, Auntie, or Auntie Mame. Some of the British people call their mothers Auntie too. But some people call their mother Auntie too.
Aunties are often overlooked when we talk about family members. But this isn’t because they are less important. The reason we don’t think about our aunts is that we don’t have them.
1. An Aunt is someone related to you by blood and/or marriage
2. Aunty means a woman’s female relative – not an actual aunt
3. Uncle is the male equivalent
4. You can call both aunty and uncle by their first name, although it’s more common for adults to use their last name when addressing aunt or uncle
5. An Uncle is the male equivalent of an Aunt
6. Auntie is the same as an Uncle
Final Words
The British don’t use the word “aunt” in the sense that it is commonly used in America. Instead, when someone calls their aunt in the UK, they’re referring to their great aunt, i.e. the person’s mother’s sister. Asking a Brit what the word “aunt” means might not be something that you ever have to do, but it’s something that you should be aware of.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do British people say, aunt or aunt?
Aunt is another one that's pronounced differently depending on where you're from: If you say it "ahnt" you're probably from Britain or one of just a couple parts of the U.S. (notably the Boston area).
What is auntie mean in English?
British English: auntie /ˈɑːntɪ/ NOUN. Someone's auntie is the sister of their mother or father or the wife of their uncle. His uncle is dead, but his auntie still lives here.
How do northerners pronounce aunt?
“Ant” is used in Northern England, Scotland, Western Canada and most American dialects, including General American.
Do you say, aunt or auntie?
You must understand that both these words are correct and can be used interchangeably. You can use the word aunty for aunt or auntie. The major difference between these words lies in their usage in the language.
Aunty is used more frequently in British English while Auntie is used more commonly in American English.