grandfather

1 of 2

noun

grand·​fa·​ther ˈgran(d)-ˌfä-t͟hər How to pronounce grandfather (audio)
Synonyms of grandfathernext
1
a
: the father of one's father or mother
b
: ancestor sense 1a
2
: granddaddy sense 2
grandfatherly
ˈgran(d)-ˌfä-t͟hər-lē How to pronounce grandfather (audio)
adjective

grandfather

2 of 2

verb

grandfathered; grandfathering; grandfathers

transitive verb

: to permit to continue under a grandfather clause

Synonyms of grandfather

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of grandfather in a Sentence

Noun this tradition has been passed down from our pioneer grandfathers
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For her grandfather, opening the package instantly transported him back to his teenage years. — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 But my grandfather’s American journey did not follow a straight line from arrival to assimilation. — Phil Kafarakis, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Verb
Last week, city lawmakers introduced an amendment to the law that would grandfather in existing gates. — Hannah Kliger, CBS News, 19 May 2026 Parents have some avenues right now to grandfather existing loan limits and repayments. — Ira Porter, Christian Science Monitor, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for grandfather

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grandfather was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing grandfather

Rhymes for grandfather

See All Rhymes for grandfather

Browse Nearby Words

grandezza
grandfather
grandfather's-beard
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grandfather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandfather. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

grandfather

1 of 2 noun
grand·​fa·​ther ˈgran(d)-ˌfät͟h-ər How to pronounce grandfather (audio)
1
: the father of one's father or mother
2
: ancestor sense 1

grandfather

2 of 2 verb
grandfathered; grandfathering
: to permit to continue under a grandfather clause

Legal Definition

grandfather

transitive verb
grand·​fa·​ther
: to permit to continue under a grandfather clause
current residents will be grandfathered under the regulation
—often used with in

More from Merriam-Webster on grandfather

Nglish: Translation of grandfather for Spanish Speakers

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