grandparent

noun

grand·​par·​ent ˈgran(d)-ˌper-ənt How to pronounce grandparent (audio)
: a parent of one's father or mother
grandparental
ˌgran(d)-pə-ˈren-tᵊl How to pronounce grandparent (audio)
adjective
grandparenthood
ˈgran(d)-ˈper-ent-ˌhu̇d How to pronounce grandparent (audio)
noun

Examples of grandparent 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.
Soon the fathers, mothers and grandparents cheering girls’ soccer teams will exchange their uncomfortable folding chairs for the hard bleacher seats of indoor soccer or basketball. — Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 The enterprise continued in Bangkok, the home of Nino’s maternal grandparents, where the budding artist discovered a wealth of antiques and toothsome Thai fruits. — Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 27 Oct. 2026 Founder and aesthetician Athena Hewett was inspired by her childhood summers in the Greek Cyclades, where her grandparents owned an olive grove. — Brianna Peters, Vogue, 26 Oct. 2026 Mystery is surrounding the deaths of a toddler and his two grandparents after the three of them were discovered dead by investigators. — Kelsie Cairns, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for grandparent

Word History

First Known Use

1574, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of grandparent was in 1574

Rhymes for grandparent

See All Rhymes for grandparent

Browse Nearby Words

grandpappy
grandparent
grandparenthood
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Grandparent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandparent. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

grandparent

noun
grand·​par·​ent ˈgran(d)-ˌpar-ənt How to pronounce grandparent (audio)
-ˌper-
: a parent of one's father or mother
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All