grand master

American

[grand mas-ter] / ˈgrænd ˈmæs tər /

noun

Grand Master, the head of a military order of knighthood, a lodge, fraternal order, or the like.
Chess. Also Grand Master, grandmaster International Grand Master.
Also grandmaster a person at the highest level of ability or achievement in any field.

Grand Master British

noun

the title borne by the head of any of various societies, orders, and other organizations, such as the Templars or Freemasons, or the various martial arts

"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

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.

He capped off a stunning year by beating grand master Hoshoryu in a play-off to clinch his first title in only his 14th tournament.

From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025

“He’s a grand master of stage, film and television, and a joy to work with. He’s ferocious and funny and heartbreaking, and he has an incandescent soul.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2022

“I’m so honored to be grand master of the Rose Parade,” Giffords said Thursday after being introduced on the lawn of Tournament House in Pasadena.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 13, 2022

Heyer is the grand master of historical romance.

From Washington Post • Sep. 10, 2022

She was a grand master, lost to the intricacies of her art.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023