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grandee

American  
[gran-dee] / grænˈdi /

noun

  1. a man of high social position or eminence, especially a Spanish or Portuguese nobleman.


grandee British  
/ ɡrænˈdiː /

noun

  1. a Spanish or Portuguese prince or nobleman of the highest rank

  2. a man of great rank or eminence

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of grandee

1590–1600; < Spanish, Portuguese grande, with ending assimilated to -ee

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.

See Examples For:

Those files exposed a friendship between the convicted sex offender and Peter Mandelson, a Labour Party grandee and Mr. Starmer’s choice for ambassador to Washington.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 20, 2026

Even before the revelations about the extent of Labour grandee Peter Mandelson’s ties to Epstein raised questions about Starmer’s judgment, investors were primed for a challenge to his leadership.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 11, 2026

She is "right to accurately emphasise diversion", the grandee said.

From BBC Sep. 20, 2025

The Labour grandee, who served in multiple ministerial roles under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown before taking up a life peerage in the Lords, was considered to be one of the frontrunners for the position.

From BBC Dec. 19, 2024

He dressed impeccably and had the manners of a grandee.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

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