great-grandfather

American  

[greyt-gran-fah-ther, -grand-] / ˌgreɪtˈgrænˌfɑ ðər, -ˈgrænd- /

noun

1. a grandfather of one's father or mother.

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Usage

What does great-grandfather mean? A great-grandfather is the father of a person’s grandparent (the grandfather of a person’s parent). When a father’s child has their own children, that father becomes a grandfather. When those children have their own children, he becomes a great-grandfather. Should great-grandfather be capitalized?Great-grandfather should be capitalized when it’s used as a proper name, as in Please tell Great-grandfather that I miss him. But great-grandfather does not need to be capitalized when it’s simply used as a way to refer to him, as in Please tell my great-grandfather that I miss him. Example: My kids were lucky enough to get to know three of their great-grandfathers.

Etymology

Origin of great-grandfather

First recorded in 1505–15

Example Sentences

"My great-grandfather was a steelworker, my grandfather was a steelworker, and then basically all my uncles from the next generation down were in the steelworks as well."

From BBC • May 31, 2026

Honoring her great-grandfather Cole Grove with the canary metaphor of the former, both songs celebrate personal salvation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Their culturally omnivorous oldest son, Bernard, was the author’s great-grandfather.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

Valente's was started in Kirkcaldy by Marco's great-grandfather in 1921.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

He told how his great-grandfather, Jonathan Lyte, Mayor of Causeway, Kent, England, had had six identical cups made—one for each of his sons.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes