grandchild

American  

[gran-chahyld] / ˈgrænˌtʃaɪld /

noun

plural

grandchildren

1. a child of one's son or daughter.

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grandchild British  

/ ˈɡrænˌtʃaɪld /

noun

1. the son or daughter of one's child

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Etymology

Origin of grandchild

First recorded in 1580–90; grand- + child

Explanation

If you have a grandparent, you are a grandchild. You are the grandchild of your mother’s and father’s parents. If you have a grandchild, your son or daughter had a baby. Congratulations. A person becomes a grandparent when their kid has their first baby, and that baby is the grandparent’s grandchild. Boys are often called "grandsons," and girls "granddaughters," but both are also grandchildren. Grandchild uses the family or genealogical sense of the prefix grand-, which first meant "a generation older than," and since Elizabethan times has also meant "a generation younger than."

Example Sentences

The result is that part or all of the inheritance passes to someone else, often a child or grandchild.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

“So, just not being able to be with them in person has been really hard and then being away from their first grandchild has been probably one of the hardest things for them as well.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 24, 2026

The trust was told to draw up an action plan, apologise to the family and make compensation payments of £900 to each grandchild and £750 to their mum.

From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026

I understand why your daughter would ask you to watch your future grandchild.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026

You can see in that picture how I really was the first child, first grandchild, first niece.

From "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio