grand

¹

[ grand ]

adjective

, grand·er, grand·est.

1. impressive in size, appearance, or general effect:

   grand mountain scenery.

   Antonyms: insignificant

2. stately, majestic, or dignified:

   In front of an audience her manner is grand and regal.

   Synonyms: exalted, royal, regal, princely

   Antonyms: unassuming, modest

3. highly ambitious or idealistic:

   grand ideas for bettering the political situation.

   Antonyms: mean, small

4. magnificent or splendid:

   a grand palace.

   Synonyms: superb, brilliant, palatial, large, great

5. noble or revered:

   a grand old man.

6. highest, or very high, in rank or official dignity:

   a grand potentate.

7. main or principal; chief:

   the grand ballroom.

   Antonyms: minor

8. of great importance, distinction, or pretension:

   a man used to entertaining grand personages.

9. complete or comprehensive:

   a grand total.

   Synonyms: inclusive

10. pretending to grandeur, as a result of minor success, good fortune, etc.; conceited:

    Jane is awfully grand since she got promoted.

11. first-rate; very good; splendid:

    to have a grand time; to feel grand.

12. Music. written on a large scale or for a large ensemble:

    a grand fugue.

noun

, plural grands grand

1. grand piano.
2. Informal. an amount equal to a thousand dollars:

   The cops found most of the loot, but they're still missing about five grand.

grand-

²

1. a combining form used in genealogical terminology meaning “one generation more remote”:

   grandfather; grandnephew.

grand

¹

/ ɡrænd /

adjective

1. large or impressive in size, extent, or consequence

   grand mountain scenery

2. characterized by or attended with magnificence or display; sumptuous

   a grand feast

3. of great distinction or pretension; dignified or haughty
4. designed to impress

   he punctuated his story with grand gestures

5. very good; wonderful
6. comprehensive; complete

   a grand total

7. worthy of respect; fine

   a grand old man

8. large or impressive in conception or execution

   grand ideas

9. most important; chief

   the grand arena

noun

1. See grand piano
   short for grand piano
2. slang.
   grand a thousand pounds or dollars

grand-

²

prefix

1. (in designations of kinship) one generation removed in ascent or descent

   grandfather

   grandson

Derived Forms

• ˈgrandly, adverb
• ˈgrandness, noun

Other Words From

• grandly adverb
• grandness noun
• un·grand adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of grand¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; 1920–25 grand fordef 14; Middle English gra(u)nd, gra(u)nt, from Old French grant, grand, from Latin grandis “great, large, full-grown”

Origin of grand²

Special use of grand

Word History and Origins

Origin of grand¹

C16: from Old French, from Latin grandis

Origin of grand²

from French grand-, on the model of Latin magnus in such phrases as avunculus magnus great-uncle

Example Sentences

A grand juror in the Ferguson case is suing to be able to explain exactly what went down in the courtroom.

From The Daily Beast

Could the (thus far) timid trembling give way to a full-on, grand mal seizure?

From The Daily Beast

The 2001 grand jury indictment named 21 suspects as being involved in the U.S. embassy bombings, including Osama bin Laden.

From The Daily Beast

A grand jury investigated but found Foster had broken no law.

From The Daily Beast

The police departments say procedures were followed, and grand juries have listened.

From The Daily Beast

A tall phantom in livery appeared, as if by magic, and signed to me to ascend the grand staircase.

From Project Gutenberg

"Buy something for your wife that-is-to-be," he said to his grand-nephew, as he handed him the folded paper.

From Project Gutenberg

She was in a dream of oily odours and monstrous iron constructions, dominated by the grand foreman: and Edwin was in the dream.

From Project Gutenberg

I had no idea who they were, as the Grand Duke was in morning costume, and had no star or decoration to distinguish him.

From Project Gutenberg

A splendid grand piano stands in one window (he receives a new one every year).

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ambitious
• awe-inspiring
• dignified
• glorious
• grandiose
• imposing
• large
• lofty
• luxurious
• magnificent
• marvelous
• monumental
• noble
• opulent
• palatial
• splendid
• stately
• sumptuous

Words That Use grand-

What does grand- mean?

Grand– is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “one generation more remote.” It is typically used in genealogical terms.

Grand– comes from Latin grandis, meaning “great,” “large,” or “full-grown.” The Greek translation of grandis is mégas, meaning “big” or “great.” Mégas is the source of the combining form mega–. To learn more, check out our entry on mega-.

What are variants of grand-?

While not a variant of grand– in this sense exactly, the prefix great– is used to indicate further generations remote, as in great-grandparent, or parent two generations removed.

Examples of grand-

One example of a common word that features the form grand– is grandmother, “the mother of one’s father or mother.”

The grand– part of the word means “one generation remote.” As you no doubt guessed, –mother means “a female parent.” Grandmother literally means “a female parent one generation remote.”

What are some words that use the combining form grand-?

• granddad
• granddaughter
• grandfather
• grandkid
• grandparent
• grandson

What are some other forms that grand– may be commonly confused with?

• grano-

Not every word that begins with the exact letters grand-, such as grandee or grandeur, is necessarily using the combining form grand– to denote “one generation more remote.” Learn why grandeur means “impressive” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

The word kid means “a child or young person.” With this in mind, what does grandkid mean?