grandfather
Americannoun
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the father of one's father or mother
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(often plural) a male ancestor
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(often capital) a familiar term of address for an old man
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dialect a caterpillar or woodlouse
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of grandfather
late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at grand-, father
Explanation
Your grandfather is the father of one of your parents. If your grandfather is quite old and has dozens of grandchildren, it might be hard for him to remember your birthday every year. Everyone has two biological grandfathers, whether they've had the chance to know them or not. In some families, grandmothers and grandfathers are involved in raising and caring for their grandchildren, while in others a grandfather may have died or live very far away. Informally, a grandfather can also be someone who started or invented something: "Blues musician Robert Johnson was the grandfather of rock and roll."
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:
What to know: John Steinbeck’s epic novel is the source material for this ambitious limited series created by Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather, Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 film adaptation of the book.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
“My grandfather lost his life fleeing the Nazi invasion, and many of his family members were sent to Auschwitz and did not survive,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
Meanwhile, the whist drive ticket, priced at 6d or sixpence, would have taken place during the reign of King Charles III's grandfather, George VI, hosted by the Buckingham palace social club.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
At this year's 9th Party Congress of the Korean Workers' Party, Kim Jong Un was emboldened and spoke of accomplishments that his grandfather Kim Il Sung and father Kim Jong Il never achieved.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
“And how exactly did your grandfather die, Fredrick? I don’t believe you’ve ever told me,” Lady Constance asked in a high, strained voice.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
But for most of my life, they felt like the domain of grandfathers, finance bros and people who knew what vermouth was without having to Google it.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
“We’re asking airmen to strap into jets that their grandfathers, fathers and now they are flying, and it is time for a reset,” said Doug Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
His two grandfathers, both named Bill, were key figures in his early life, later providing inspiration for the title of his 2023 memoir.
From BBC ● May 13, 2026
She acknowledged that it was still "not enough" and promised a "special plan for our grandfathers and grandmothers."
From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026
Her feet find the floor of her grandfathers room.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
