grandfather

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the father of your father or mother

   I called my grandfather on the phone.

2. 2
   noun

   A father of someone's parent.

   Grandfather, Father, and Son. The Father diſſeiſeth the Grandfather and dies, the Son endows the Mother, the Grandfather dies, the Son may enter upon the Mother; for he hath a new Right deſcended to him from the Grandfather, for the Grandfather might have entred upon the Mother, ſo ſhall his Heir.

3. 3
   noun

   A male forefather.

   Brethren: Here is the pipe which your grandfathers used to smoke with when they met together in councils of peace. And here is some of that good tobacco, prepared for our grandfathers from God:—When you shall taste of it, you shall feel it through all your body; and it will put you in remembrance of the good councils your grandfathers used to hold with the English, your brethren, and that ancient friendship they had together.

4. 4
   noun

   The archived older version of a file that immediately preceded the father file.

   File C is the grandfather because it was used to create file B.

5. 5
   verb

   To retain discontinued laws or rules for (an object, individual or organization previously affected by them).

   Had the original work been permitted, it would be grandfathered into any code changes each time they occurred, Arvada officials said. The latest came in 2006.

6. 6
   verb

   To be, or act as, a grandfather to.

Etymology

The noun is derived from Middle English grandfadre, graundfadir, graunfadir, grauntfader, and other forms, from graunt (“big, large; great, important”) + fā̆der (“male parent, father; remoter male ancestor”), probably modelled after Middle French grandpere, grant pere (“male parent; remoter male ancestor”) (whence French grand-père); the English word is analysable as grand- + father. Superseded earlier eldfather, elderfather. The verb is derived from the noun.