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great-aunt

American  
[greyt-ant, -ahnt] / ˈgreɪtˌænt, -ˌɑnt /

noun

  1. a grandaunt.


great-aunt British  

noun

  1. an aunt of one's father or mother; sister of one's grandfather or grandmother

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of great-aunt

First recorded in 1650–60

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Maybe you have looked at the clouds and imagined a sailboat, a seahorse, or even your great-aunt Rosemary staring back at you.

From Science Daily • May 14, 2026

Philippa, from Llangrannog, in Ceredigion, Wales, said her great-aunt was from a very wealthy and political family.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

They were also third-degree relatives, suggesting a connection such as great-aunt and niece or cousins.

From Science Daily • Feb. 19, 2026

“Who thinks this would happen at a baby birthday party,” said a woman who identified herself as a great-aunt of the birthday girl.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2025

I also went to Cuba with a group of Johns Hopkins students to study the island’s arts and culture—a trip I used to try to find my long-lost great-aunt and other family members.

From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore

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