grandfather

[ gran-fah-th er, grand- ]

/ ˈgrænˌfɑ ðər, ˈgrænd- /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR grandfather ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the father of one's father or mother.

a forefather.

the founder or originator of a family, species, type, etc.; the first of one's or its kind, or the one being longest in existence: the grandfather of all steam locomotives.

verb (used with object)

to exempt (something or someone) from new legislation, restrictions, or requirements: The law grandfathered all banks already operating at the time of passage. He was grandfathered into the pension plan.

Origin of grandfather

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at grand-, father

Words nearby grandfather

grande dame, grande prairie, grande-terre, grandee, grandeur, grandfather, grandfather clause, grandfather clock, grandfather's chair, grandfather's clock, grandfatherly

Example sentences from the Web for grandfather

His grandfather, a pastor, had visited the church decades before—in the 1980s—when the church was popular within the community.

Beaten By His Church for Being Gay |Justin Jones |December 16, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Meanwhile, his grandfather was named Marion—also the birth name of John Wayne.

‘Archer’ Season 6 Preview: Cast and Crew on Rebranding and Dropping ISIS |Marlow Stern |October 27, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
My grandfather lived fast and large—he liked his liquor and his tobacco, and he was also an ace gambler.

Those Kansas City Blues: A Family History |Katie Baker |October 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Her grandfather had been a physician and healer who—according to family lore—married a descendant of the Osage or Pawnee tribes.

Those Kansas City Blues: A Family History |Katie Baker |October 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Defying instructions would have been unthinkable during the tenure of his father or grandfather.

Has North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Been Toppled? |Gordon G. Chang |October 6, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The simple fact was, that Pope's grandfather, the highest they could trace the family, was a clergyman in Hampshire.

Homes and Haunts of the Most Eminent British Poets, Vol. I (of 2) |William Howitt
"Yes, you say, just as if you were thinking of your grandfather's demise," remarked one of his neighbors.

The Magic Skin |Honore de Balzac
Naturally she was disposed to lean upon her grandfather, but he utterly failed her.

The Frontiersmen |Charles Egbert Craddock
It was my aim to convince your grandfather that all the money in the world cannot bring about the result you desire.

From the Housetops |George Barr McCutcheon
My grandfather, Andrew Coffey, was known to every one in the region about his home as a quiet decent man.

Bluebeard |Clifton Johnson

British Dictionary definitions for grandfather

grandfather

/ (ˈɡrænˌfɑːðə, ˈɡrænd-) /

noun

the father of one's father or mother

(often plural) a male ancestor

(often capital) a familiar term of address for an old man

dialect a caterpillar or woodlouse

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

grandfather

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of grandfather

Words nearby grandfather

Example sentences from the Web for grandfather

British Dictionary definitions for grandfather

noun

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

grandfather

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of grandfather

Words nearby grandfather

Words related to grandfather

Example sentences from the Web for grandfather

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noun

British Dictionary definitions for grandfather