gramps

Or gramp

[gramps]

noun

Informal.

1. grandfather.

Word History and Origins

Origin of gramps¹

First recorded in 1860–65; grandpa, -s ⁴

Related Words

• ancestor 
• grandpa 
• patriarch 

When To Use

What does gramps mean?

Gramps is an informal word for grandfather—the father of a person’s parent.It’s a variant of the word grandpa, which is commonly pronounced like grampa. Similar words for a grandmother are gran and granny.Gramps should be capitalized when it’s used as a proper name, as in Please tell Gramps that I miss him. But gramps does not need to be capitalized when it’s simply used as a way to refer to him, as in Please tell my gramps that I miss him. Example: It doesn’t matter what you call your gramps, as long as you call him.