What is the Latin word for aunt?

The usual Latin words for “aunt” are amita, mātertera. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“aunt” in Latin

amitapaternal aunt; father's sister māterteramaternal aunt

The English word aunt itself goes back to Latin amita.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

aunt

amita (father’s sister): matertera (mother’s sister).

Great aunt, etc., amita magna (grandfather’s sister): amita major: proamita (sister of greatgrandfather): amita maxima (great greatgrandfathers sister). Vid: All these on father’s side: matertera magna (grandmother’s sister): matertera major: promatertera (great-grandmother’s sister): matertera maxima (great-great -grandmother’s sister). Vid: All these from Gai., Dig., 38, 10, 1, and Paul., Dig., 38, 10, 10).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for aunt?: The usual Latin words for “aunt” are amita, mātertera. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.