grandmother

[ gran-muhth-er, grand-, gram- ]

noun

1. the mother of one's father or mother.
2. a female ancestor.

grandmother

/ ˈɡrænd-; ˈɡrænˌmʌðə /

noun

1. the mother of one's father or mother
2. often plural a female ancestor
3. often capital a familiar term of address for an old woman
4. teach one's grandmother to suck eggs
   See egg 1

Word History and Origins

Origin of grandmother¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; grand-, mother ¹

Example Sentences

My grandmother was a great cook and she only let me and my cousin Patricia help her.

From Ozy

So today, when I finally got to hold the flute in my hands, I felt like it was my grandmother again.

From Washington Post

One chief told me how his grandmother took his mother out to the wilderness for a year so that she would be safe.

From Washington Post

This was not the old-school, traditional funeral home that you think of with grandmother in the lilac suit, in polyester, with the silken sheets around her and all the flowers.

From Freakonomics

Eighteen-year-old Stella, known as Lala to all but her grandmother Wilma, is about to give birth to her first child.

From Washington Post

In 2011, he was arrested while visiting his grandmother in Iran, charged with espionage, and sentenced to death.

From The Daily Beast

Through her haircare line, named for her grandmother, Jessie Branch, Titi Branch was revolutionary.

From The Daily Beast

Why is a straight grandmother the leading advocate for gays in Cameroon?

From The Daily Beast

There is this trinity of female mourning: for your grandmother, your mother, and your unborn daughter.

From The Daily Beast

The seven-year-old Detroit girl was sleeping on the couch as her grandmother sat next to her watching television.

From The Daily Beast

The year before they had spent part of the summer with their grandmother Pontellier in Iberville.

From Project Gutenberg

Alila's grandmother prepared a quantity of betel before the new baby was born.

From Project Gutenberg

That was a new idea to Hettie; and it puzzled her little brain for a minute: then she laughed out, "Shall I be their grandmother?"

From Project Gutenberg

The narrow individualism of the nineteenth century refused to recognize the social duty of supporting somebody else's grandmother.

From Project Gutenberg

At her bosom she wore a great brooch, containing intertwined locks of a grandfather and grandmother long since defunct.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ancestor
• grandma
• granny
• matriarch

More About Grandmother

What does grandmother mean?

A grandmother is the mother of a person’s parent.

When a mother’s child has their own children, that mother becomes a grandmother.

Less commonly, grandmother can be used in a general way to refer to a female ancestor, as in This would not be possible without the contributions of those who came before us, our many grandmothers.

Should grandmother be capitalized?

Grandmother should be capitalized when it’s used as a proper name, as in Please tell Grandmother that I miss her. 

But grandmother does not need to be capitalized when it’s simply used as a way to refer to her, as in Please tell my grandmother that I miss her. 

Example: It doesn’t matter what you call your grandmother, as long as you call her.

Where does grandmother come from?

The first records of the word grandmother come from around 1400. The prefix grand- is used in family terms to indicate a person who is one generation removed, as in grandparent and grandchild. (The prefix great- indicates yet another generation, as in great-grandmother.)

Grandmothers often have special bonds with their grandchildren (who they’re known to spoil with love, affection, and candy). It’s common for grandchildren to refer to their grandmothers with informal names. Common variants of grandmother include grandma, grandmom, gramma, grandmamma, gran, granny, and nana, but many families have their own specific version, such as meemaw and MaMotts.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to grandmother?

• grandmotherly (adverb)

What are some synonyms for grandmother?

• grandma
• grandmom
• grandmama
• grandmamma
• granny
• nana

What are some words that share a root or word element with grandmother? 

• great-grandmother
• grandparent
• grandfather
• mother

What are some words that often get used in discussing grandmother?

• grandchildren
• love
• kindness
• spoil
• special
• care
• family
• matriarch

How is grandmother used in real life?

There are many informal variants of the word grandmother. When it’s used as a proper name, Grandmother should be capitalized.

Here's to all the grandmothers who are still raising their children's children and doing the best they know.#iyanlafixmylife

— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) October 14, 2012

My grandmother has Alzheimer’s disease and fully recognized me all day today. I got a chance to connect with her and fill her in on life 🌹

— Francheska (@HeyFranHey) October 26, 2017

My grandmother is now in love with @justinbieber.

— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) August 8, 2013

 

 

Try using grandmother!

Is grandmother used correctly in the following sentence?

I’m a grandmother of two and a mother of five, so I know a thing or two about temper tantrums.