an aunt of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an aunt of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a specific aunt in relation to someone, often to indicate familial connections. Example: "She is an aunt of my best friend, and they often spend holidays together."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Mrs. Newhouse was an aunt of S.I.

The New York Times

Barbara Adams, 55, an aunt of Raheen's, agrees with Glynn.

The New York Times

It was an aunt of mine who died of kidney disease when she was 25.

The New York Times

Leading the group was Nana Abreu, 59, an aunt of Mr. Pichardo's widow, Rosa.

The New York Times

Rabbi Naomi Levy, an aunt of the bridegroom, officiated at the Pierre.

The New York Times

The Rev. Sandra Nuernberg, a Presbyterian minister and an aunt of the bride, officiated.

The New York Times

She had been infected in July, by an aunt of her fiancé.

The New Yorker

Dolly Alexander, an aunt of the bride, was the maid of honor.

The New York Times - Style

Kara Jacobs, an aunt of Timmothy, said the family was shattered.

The New York Times

Caridad Ramos, an aunt of Nixzmary, said he had never seen the girl before.

The New York Times

Rammatha Gaddie, an aunt of Ms. Williams's, was stunned to hear about the arrest.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "an aunt of" to clearly and directly specify a familial relationship when the context requires precision about the type of relative.

Common error

Avoid using "who's" in place of "whose" when indicating possession with "an aunt of". For example, instead of "an aunt who's name is..." use "an aunt whose name is...".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an aunt of" functions as a prepositional phrase that specifies a familial relationship, indicating that someone is the aunt of another person. As supported by Ludwig, this construction is grammatically sound and widely recognized.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

72%

Wiki

12%

Encyclopedias

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Reference

4%

Science

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "an aunt of" is a grammatically sound and frequently used way to indicate a specific familial relationship. As confirmed by Ludwig, the phrase is recognized as proper English. It appears most commonly in news and media contexts, as well as encyclopedia and wiki entries. While Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct, users should be mindful of correct article usage ("an" before "aunt") and avoid common errors like mistaking "who's" for "whose" in related clauses. For alternative phrasing, consider "a relative of" or more specific maternal/paternal designations. The phrase serves primarily to identify familial connections.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a family member who is an aunt

Explicitly states the family connection is an aunt.

a maternal aunt of

Specifies that the aunt is on the mother's side of the family.

a paternal aunt of

Specifies that the aunt is on the father's side of the family.

one of the aunts of

Indicates that the person has multiple aunts and refers to one of them.

a relative on the mother's side

Broadens the relationship to include any female relative on the mother's side of the family.

a relative on the father's side

Broadens the relationship to include any female relative on the father's side of the family.

a female relative of

Generalizes the relationship to any female family member.

related maternally through

Indicates a maternal familial connection without specifying the exact relationship.

related paternally through

Indicates a paternal familial connection without specifying the exact relationship.

from the same family as

Generalizes to belonging to the same family, without specifying the exact relationship.

FAQs

How is "an aunt of" used in a sentence?

The phrase "an aunt of" connects a person to their aunt, specifying their familial relationship. For example, "She is "an aunt of" the bride."

What alternatives can I use instead of "an aunt of"?

Depending on the context, you might use phrases like "a relative of", "a family member who is an aunt", or specify the side of the family with "a maternal aunt of" or "a paternal aunt of".

Is it correct to say "a aunt of" instead of "an aunt of"?

No, it's grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "an aunt of" because "aunt" starts with a vowel sound, requiring the indefinite article "an" instead of "a".

What is the difference between "an aunt of" and "a great-aunt of"?

"An aunt of" refers to a sibling of one's parent. "A great-aunt of" refers to the sibling of one's grandparent. The distinction lies in the generational distance within the family tree.