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Materteral

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We have the word avuncular to mean like an uncle, but is there one word for describing someone or something aunt-like? Materteral is one option, though it’s rarely used. This is part of a complete episode.

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  • Interesting question. I suggest “auntly” (an existing English word, albeit probably not much more common that materteral–though it’s at least in Webster’s Unabridged online, which materteral is not). Or maybe “auntily,” which in some pronunciations could echo “jauntily.” Or maybe “aunt-wise,” which could have nice undertones. “She was an auntly woman, and helped out at the reception very auntily; but when I jumped for the bouquet, she gave me an aunt-wise look.”
    Or maybe, since the original context is amongst Hispanic tias, “tiamente.”

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