What it means
شوهرعمه (shohar-amme) means the husband of your amme, your paternal aunt, the sister of your father. It is a mixed-origin compound: shohar is pure Persian (husband) and amme comes from the Arabic amma (عَمَّة), meaning paternal aunt, a word that entered Persian through centuries of Arabic influence and is now fully integrated into everyday speech. This term sits in the same family of highly specific in-law vocabulary as شوهرخواهر and زنعمو. There is no single English word for this relationship; English simply calls this person an uncle by marriage.
How to use it
- شوهرعمهام دکتره. (Shohar-ammam doktore.) “My paternal aunt’s husband is a doctor.”
- شوهرعمهات اومد مهمونی؟ (Shohar-ammat umad mehmuni?) “Did your paternal aunt’s husband come to the party?”
- شوهرعمهام آدم درسخوندهاییه. (Shohar-ammam âdame dars-khunde-i-ye.) “My paternal aunt’s husband is a well-educated person.”
- با شوهرعمهام زیاد در تماس نیستم. (Bâ shohar-ammam ziâd dar tamâs nistam.) “I am not in much contact with my paternal aunt’s husband.”
Cultural note
Because the عمه (amme, paternal aunt) is on the father’s side, her husband becomes part of the paternal extended family circle, though his position is generally less central than blood relatives. In Iranian family gatherings he is included and addressed respectfully, often simply as عموجان (amu-jân, dear uncle) by younger family members, even though technically he is not a blood uncle. This informal elevation of in-laws to the status of blood relatives through address terms reflects a broader Iranian cultural warmth toward extended family.