gran
Americannoun
noun
Usage
What does gran mean? Gran is an informal word for grandmother—the mother of a person’s parent. The word granny is used in the same way. A similar word for a grandfather is gramps. Gran should be capitalized when it’s used as a proper name, as in Please tell Gran that I miss her. But gran does not need to be capitalized when it’s simply used as a way to refer to her, as in Please tell my gran that I miss her. Example: It doesn’t matter what you call your gran, as long as you call her.
Etymology
Origin of gran
First recorded in 1860–65; by shortening
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pero tras la gran acogida del primer periodo de venta, muchas de las entradas de menor precio ya se han agotado.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
También a diferencia del año pasado, el bullpen es una gran incógnita a pesar del alentador final de la temporada regular.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 30, 2025
When she was five, her gran took her to live in Stranraer in south-west Scotland, about two hours' drive from her home in Glasgow.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2025
To paraphrase his gran, they're keen on keeping on.
From BBC • Mar. 24, 2025
“It’s Elizabeth. But if you don’t mind, I prefer Lizzie. My gran says that’s a nickname reserved for barmaids and axe murderers, but I quite like it.”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
