grandmother

• grand-mother (obsolete)

From Middle English graundmodre, grauntmoder, granmoder; equivalent to grand- +‎ mother. Compare French grand-mère. Superseded earlier eldmother, eldermother.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðə(r)/

  • Audio (UK):

    (file)

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹænˌmʌðə/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðɚ/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: grand‧mo‧ther

grandmother (plural grandmothers)

2. A mother of someone's parent.
   • 1923 May 17, “ […] Advertiser and Mr. Bryan”, in The Progressive Age, Scottsboro, Ala.: James S. Benson, page [4]:

     […] man may admit that his grandfathers and grandmothers were mon[keys a]nd monkeyesses if he want^[sic] to; that is his privilege.

   • 2018, Michael Ondaatje, Warlight, →ISBN, page 13:

     "It's a nightingale floor," our grandmother told us. "It warns us of thieves in the night."

   • 2025 June 2, Michael Gwilliam, “89-year-old Skyrim Grandma switches to another RPG after 9 years”, in Dexerto‎^[1]:

     Viral YouTuber and grandmother Shirley Curry, better known as ‘Skyrim Grandma’ is finally playing another Bethesda RPG after nine years.

3. A female ancestor or progenitor.

• (mother of someone's parent): See Thesaurus:grandmother

• (antonym(s) of “with regard to gender”): grandfather
• (antonym(s) of “with regard to ancestry”): granddaughter, grandson, grandchild

• grandparent

• maternal grandmother
• paternal grandmother

• great-grandfather

Many languages use different terms for the mother of someone's father and the mother of someone's mother. When such a distinction is required in English, the phrases maternal grandmother (“mother of one's mother”) and paternal grandmother (“mother of one's father”) can be used. Specific translations can be added at those entries.