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View synonyms for grand

grand

1

[ grand ]

adjective

, grand·er, grand·est.
  1. impressive in size, appearance, or general effect:

    grand mountain scenery.

    Antonyms: insignificant

  2. stately, majestic, or dignified:

    In front of an audience her manner is grand and regal.

    Synonyms: exalted, royal, regal, princely

    Antonyms: unassuming, modest

  3. highly ambitious or idealistic:

    grand ideas for bettering the political situation.

    Antonyms: mean, small

  4. magnificent or splendid:

    a grand palace.

    Synonyms: superb, brilliant, palatial, large, great

  5. noble or revered:

    a grand old man.

  6. highest, or very high, in rank or official dignity:

    a grand potentate.

  7. main or principal; chief:

    the grand ballroom.

    Antonyms: minor

  8. of great importance, distinction, or pretension:

    a man used to entertaining grand personages.

  9. complete or comprehensive:

    a grand total.

    Synonyms: inclusive

  10. pretending to grandeur, as a result of minor success, good fortune, etc.; conceited:

    Jane is awfully grand since she got promoted.

  11. first-rate; very good; splendid:

    to have a grand time; to feel grand.

  12. Music. written on a large scale or for a large ensemble:

    a grand fugue.



noun

, plural grands grand
  1. Informal. an amount equal to a thousand dollars:

    The cops found most of the loot, but they're still missing about five grand.

grand-

2
  1. a combining form used in genealogical terminology meaning “one generation more remote”:

    grandfather; grandnephew.

grand

1

/ ɡrænd /

adjective

  1. large or impressive in size, extent, or consequence

    grand mountain scenery

  2. characterized by or attended with magnificence or display; sumptuous

    a grand feast

  3. of great distinction or pretension; dignified or haughty
  4. designed to impress

    he punctuated his story with grand gestures

  5. very good; wonderful
  6. comprehensive; complete

    a grand total

  7. worthy of respect; fine

    a grand old man

  8. large or impressive in conception or execution

    grand ideas

  9. most important; chief

    the grand arena

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


noun

  1. short for grand piano
  2. slang.
    grand a thousand pounds or dollars
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

grand-

2

prefix

  1. (in designations of kinship) one generation removed in ascent or descent

    grandson

    grandfather

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈgrandness, noun
  • ˈgrandly, adverb
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Other Words From

  • grandly adverb
  • grandness noun
  • un·grand adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of grand1

First recorded in 1350–1400; 1920–25 grand fordef 14; Middle English gra(u)nd, gra(u)nt, from Old French grant, grand, from Latin grandis “great, large, full-grown”

Origin of grand2

Special use of grand
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Word History and Origins

Origin of grand1

C16: from Old French, from Latin grandis

Origin of grand2

from French grand-, on the model of Latin magnus in such phrases as avunculus magnus great-uncle
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Example Sentences

A grand juror in the Ferguson case is suing to be able to explain exactly what went down in the courtroom.

Could the (thus far) timid trembling give way to a full-on, grand mal seizure?

The 2001 grand jury indictment named 21 suspects as being involved in the U.S. embassy bombings, including Osama bin Laden.

A grand jury investigated but found Foster had broken no law.

The police departments say procedures were followed, and grand juries have listened.

A tall phantom in livery appeared, as if by magic, and signed to me to ascend the grand staircase.

"Buy something for your wife that-is-to-be," he said to his grand-nephew, as he handed him the folded paper.

She was in a dream of oily odours and monstrous iron constructions, dominated by the grand foreman: and Edwin was in the dream.

I had no idea who they were, as the Grand Duke was in morning costume, and had no star or decoration to distinguish him.

A splendid grand piano stands in one window (he receives a new one every year).

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Words That Use grand-

What does grand- mean?

Grand– is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “one generation more remote.” It is typically used in genealogical terms.

Grand– comes from Latin grandis, meaning “great,” “large,” or “full-grown.” The Greek translation of grandis is mégas, meaning “big” or “great.” Mégas is the source of the combining form mega. To learn more, check out our entry on mega-.

What are variants of grand-?

While not a variant of grand– in this sense exactly, the prefix great is used to indicate further generations remote, as in great-grandparent, or parent two generations removed.

Examples of grand-

One example of a common word that features the form grand– is grandmother, “the mother of one’s father or mother.”

The grand– part of the word means “one generation remote.” As you no doubt guessed, mother means “a female parent.” Grandmother literally means “a female parent one generation remote.”

What are some words that use the combining form grand-?

What are some other forms that grand– may be commonly confused with?

Not every word that begins with the exact letters grand-, such as grandee or grandeur, is necessarily using the combining form grand– to denote “one generation more remote.” Learn why grandeur means “impressive” at our entry for the word.

Break it down!

The word kid means “a child or young person.” With this in mind, what does grandkid mean?

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