grandfather

A1 Topic:Family & Relationships

US /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌfɑðɚ/ UK /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌfɑːðə(r)/ See IPA manual

Freq #1914

Meanings

1

noun
The father of your father or mother.

I called my grandfather on the phone.
2

verb
To let someone or something keep old rules or privileges after new rules are introduced.

Existing members were grandfathered in at the old, lower price.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the father of your father... grandad

2 verb · to let someone or something... grandfather in

More ayleelderfathereldfathergoodsiregrampgrampagrampopgrampsgrangrandagrandaddy

Opposites

grandchild granddaughter grandmother grandson

Word family

Forms grandfatheredgrandfatheringgrandfathers

Derived forms co-grandfathergilfgrandfather-in-lawgrandfatherhoodgrandfatherishgrandfatherismgrandfatherlessgrandfatherlygrandfathershipgreat-grandfathergreat-great-grandfatherstepgrandfather

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

grandfather clock
a tall freestanding clock with a pendulum enclosed in a narrow case

Noun + noun

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 Superseded earlier eldfather, elderfather.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.

*gʰer- Proto-Indo-European grandfadre Middle English grandpere Middle French

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Family & Relationships

External links

# grandfather

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌfɑðɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌfɑːðə(r)/
**Frequency rank:** 1914

## Meanings
1. The father of your father or mother.
2. To let someone or something keep old rules or privileges after new rules are introduced.

## Examples
- I called my grandfather on the phone.
- Existing members were grandfathered in at the old, lower price.

## Synonyms
- ayle
- elderfather
- eldfather
- goodsire
- gramp
- grampa
- grampop
- gramps
- gran
- granda
- grandad
- grandaddy

## Antonyms
- grandchild
- granddaughter
- grandmother
- grandson

## Derived Forms
- co-grandfather
- gilf
- grandfather-in-law
- grandfatherhood
- grandfatherish
- grandfatherism
- grandfatherless
- grandfatherly
- grandfathership
- great-grandfather
- great-great-grandfather
- stepgrandfather

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *gʰer-
- Root: grandfadre
- Root: grandpere

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Grandfather: 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. The historical line also includes *gʰer- (Proto-Indo-European). In current use, the main senses are “The father of your father or mother” and “To let someone or something keep old rules or privileges after new rules are introduced”.

## Topics
- Family & Relationships

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