grandfatherly

American  

[gran-fah-ther-lee, grand-] / ˈgrænˌfɑ ðər li, ˈgrænd- /

adjective

1. of or characteristic of a grandfather.

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Usage

What does grandfatherly mean? Grandfatherly is an adjective that most commonly means like a grandfather. It’s especially used in a positive way to describe someone as being kind, nurturing, and protective—like a good grandfather who loves and cares for his grandchild(ren).Describing someone as grandfatherly often implies that they listen and give good advice—it’s perhaps most commonly used in the phrase grandfatherly advice.Grandfatherly is most often used to describe grandfathers themselves, but it can be applied to someone who’s not a grandfather, as in After my grandfather died, I started relying on my Great Uncle Joe for grandfatherly support.Grandfatherly is one of many similar adjectives based on family relations, including motherly, fatherly, grandmotherly, brotherly, and sisterly.Example: Many of my most important life lessons came in the form of grandfatherly advice from my kindly Grandpa George.

Etymology

Origin of grandfatherly

First recorded in 1815–25; grandfather + -ly

Example Sentences

But he is no longer a grandfatherly type in morning trousers that stays in the background, if not out of sight.

From Seattle Times

The pope, whose grandfatherly appearance belied an electric charisma, and who was beloved both for his kindness and his sternness, confronted an American church shaped by three decades of progressive change.

From Seattle Times

However, during the campaign he transformed his public image into that of a quirky grandfatherly figure.

From BBC

Bob Moore, the grandfatherly entrepreneur who, with his wife, Charlee, leveraged an image of organic heartiness and wholesome Americana to turn the artisanal grain company Bob’s Red Mill into a $100 million dollar-a-year business, died on Saturday at his home in Milwaukie, Ore. He was 94.

From New York Times

As Pope Francis smiled warmly at the circus performers spinning and flipping in front of him at his weekly general audience in the Vatican on Wednesday, he looked every bit the grandfatherly figure who has for the last decade sought to make the church a kinder, gentler and more inclusive place.

From New York Times