Where does “aunt-in-law” come from?
aunt-in-law (English) comes from English aunt, from Middle English aunte, from Anglo-Norman aunte, from Old French ante, from Latin amita, from Proto-Indo-European amma- — mother.
aunt-in-law (English): The wife of one's uncle or aunt (parent's sibling)
Definitions
- The wife of one's uncle or aunt (parent's sibling)
Ancestry of “aunt-in-law”, step by step
aunt-in-law traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English aunt
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | aunt | The sister or sister-in-law of one’s parent; The... |
| 2 | Middle English | aunte | aunt |
| 3 | Anglo-Norman | aunte | Late Anglo-Norman spelling of ante |
| 4 | Old French | ante | nominative singular of antain; aunt |
| 5 | Latin | amita | paternal aunt; father's sister |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | amma- | mother |
via English in-law
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | in-law | A relative by marriage (or through affinity) |
| 2 | English | -in-law | Related through marriage |
| 3 | English | mother-in-law | The mother of one's spouse; A mother-in-law... |
| 4 | Middle English | moder in lawe | mother-in-law |