grandma

American  

[gran-mah, -maw, grand-, gram-, gram-muh] / ˈgrænˌmɑ, -ˌmɔ, ˈgrænd-, ˈgræm-, ˈgræm mə /

noun

Informal.

1. grandmother.

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grandma British  

/ ˈɡrænˌmɑː, ˈɡrænd-, ˈɡrænməˌmɑː, ˈɡrænd-, ˈɡræm- /

noun

1. informal words for grandmother

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Usage

What does grandma mean? Grandma is an informal word for grandmother—the mother of a person’s parent.When a mother’s child has their own children, that mother becomes a grandma. The word ma is an informal way to say mother.Grandma is often combined with a name, especially when a person has two grandmothers that they call Grandma, as in Grandma Marg and Grandma Marie. Should grandma be capitalized?Grandma should be capitalized when it’s used as a proper name, as in Please tell Grandma that I miss her. But grandma does not need to be capitalized when it’s simply used as a way to refer to her, as in Please tell my grandma that I miss her. Example: It doesn’t matter what you call your grandma, as long as you call her.

Etymology

Origin of grandma

First recorded in 1865–70; grand- + ma

Example Sentences

"My family loves the song, and grandma would have loved it, too," said Taylor's grandson, Quinn Tivey, when the song came out last year.

From BBC

An older Black woman, somewhere between typical auntie and typical grandma age—hair braided along the edges of her face and pinned into a low bun—greeted them, smiling broadly.

From Literature

And while Manchester's skyline and music venues are constantly changing, making Grimshaw feel "like a grandma" whenever he returns, the "northern hospitality", as he puts it, remains the same.

From BBC

I was in my grandma’s kitchen, the place I loved most in the world.

From Los Angeles Times

Anthony’s a feeling person — he’s moved when Doug gives Dougie “the spoon that was used by my grandma ... when she used to make hot sauce in our kitchen when I was a little boy.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ancestor
• granny
• matriarch