noun
ate
teh
noun
1
An older sister, or a respectful way of addressing a woman who is older than you, even if she is not a blood relative.
"She always calls her older cousin Ate Grace out of respect."
"The younger staff refer to the senior waitress as Ate even though they are not related."
How to Use Ate
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA Filipino title of respect for an older sister or older woman, similar to how "big sis" is used affectionately in English but with a stronger sense of formal respect.
Common mistake
Not a typo or the past tense of "eat" — this is an unrelated loanword from Tagalog, and it is normally capitalized when used as a title before a name (e.g., "Ate Maria").
Common pairings
Ate Maria
call her Ate
my Ate
Word Forms
ates plural
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She always calls her older cousin _____ Grace out of respect.
Etymology
From Tagalog ate ("elder sister"), itself borrowed from a Hokkien word for "eldest sister."