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grandmother
[ gran-muhth-er, grand-, gram- ]
noun
- the mother of one's father or mother.
- a female ancestor.
grandmother
/ ˈɡrænd-; ˈɡrænˌmʌðə /
noun
- the mother of one's father or mother
- often plural a female ancestor
- often capital a familiar term of address for an old woman
- teach one's grandmother to suck eggsSee egg 1
Word History and Origins
Origin of grandmother1
Example Sentences
My grandmother was a great cook and she only let me and my cousin Patricia help her.
So today, when I finally got to hold the flute in my hands, I felt like it was my grandmother again.
One chief told me how his grandmother took his mother out to the wilderness for a year so that she would be safe.
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.
Eighteen-year-old Stella, known as Lala to all but her grandmother Wilma, is about to give birth to her first child.
In 2011, he was arrested while visiting his grandmother in Iran, charged with espionage, and sentenced to death.
Through her haircare line, named for her grandmother, Jessie Branch, Titi Branch was revolutionary.
Why is a straight grandmother the leading advocate for gays in Cameroon?
There is this trinity of female mourning: for your grandmother, your mother, and your unborn daughter.
The seven-year-old Detroit girl was sleeping on the couch as her grandmother sat next to her watching television.
The year before they had spent part of the summer with their grandmother Pontellier in Iberville.
Alila's grandmother prepared a quantity of betel before the new baby was born.
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?"
The narrow individualism of the nineteenth century refused to recognize the social duty of supporting somebody else's grandmother.
At her bosom she wore a great brooch, containing intertwined locks of a grandfather and grandmother long since defunct.
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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?
What are some words that often get used in discussing grandmother?
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.
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