grandparent

American  

[gran-pair-uhnt, -par-, grand-] / ˈgrænˌpɛər ənt, -ˌpær-, ˈgrænd- /

noun

1. a parent of a parent.

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grandparent British  

/ ˈɡrænˌpɛərənt, ˈɡrænd- /

noun

1. the father or mother of either of one's parents

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Usage

What does grandparent mean? A grandparent is the parent of a person’s parent.When a parent’s child has children, that parent becomes a grandparent. Grandmothers and grandfathers are grandparents.A parent of a grandparent is called a great-grandparent. In your family tree, you have four grandparents and eight great-grandparents.Most people refer to their grandparents with titles like grandma and grandpa.Example: It doesn’t matter what you call your grandparents, as long as you call them.

Other Word Forms

• grandparental adjective
• grandparenting noun

Etymology

Origin of grandparent

First recorded in 1820–30; grand- + parent

Example Sentences

"It's wonderful to see that we've had friends, grandparents, children, grandchildren and brothers come in," she said.

From BBC

Jenrick said the change would apply to grandparents taking their grandchildren on holiday, as well as school trips.

From BBC

She had no grandparents to ask—her father’s parents were deceased, and her mother’s had disowned them for reasons Janet didn’t fully understand.

From Literature

Neil, a grandparent of one of the students, said there were "huge chunks of the curriculum" not yet covered in classes.

From BBC

As each of our grandparents, once special visitors to the house, passed away, we came together in grief.

From The Wall Street Journal