grandmother

noun

grand·​moth·​er ˈgran(d)-ˌmə-t͟hər How to pronounce grandmother (audio)
Synonyms of grandmothernext
1
: the mother of one's father or mother
2
: a female ancestor
grandmotherly
ˈgran(d)-ˌmə-t͟hər-lē How to pronounce grandmother (audio)
adjective

Examples of grandmother in a Sentence

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.
Liufau's grandmother died in 2020, but her legacy lives on through the Nonosina dance studio, which is run by Liufau and her family. — Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 7 July 2026 My grandmother’s childhood home is now the Russian Embassy in New York, and my childhood home is on Norwegian Avenue in Modesto. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 7 July 2026 Two of the passengers were identified by the Daily Mail as 16-year-old Khloe Todd and her grandmother Ada Todd, 75. — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026 There, on page 110 of the December 1992 Southern Living issue was my grandmother's name, Kreis Beall. — Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for grandmother

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

Rhymes for grandmother

See All Rhymes for grandmother

Browse Nearby Words

grand monde
grandmother
grandmother clock
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Cite this Entry

“Grandmother.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandmother. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

grandmother

noun
grand·​moth·​er ˈgran(d)-ˌmət͟h-ər How to pronounce grandmother (audio)
1
: the mother of one's father or mother
2
: a female ancestor

More from Merriam-Webster on grandmother

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for grandmother

Nglish: Translation of grandmother for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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