grandmotherly

American  

[gran-muhth-er-lee, grand-, gram-] / ˈgrænˌmʌð ər li, ˈgrænd-, ˈgræm- /

adjective

1. of or characteristic of a grandmother.

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Usage

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

Other Word Forms

• grandmotherliness noun

Etymology

Origin of grandmotherly

First recorded in 1835–45; grandmother + -ly

Example Sentences

The grandmotherly driving of today’s Waymos conjures images of two, excessively polite Midwesterners locked at an intersection, each beckoning the other to go first, back and forth in perpetuity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 7, 2025

But her relative anonymity, squeaky clean record and affectionate grandmotherly air have fast become part of her appeal.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 25, 2024

And then she leans into me, this old grandmotherly lady, and whispers in my ear.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2023

Mrs. Ángela’s fans say that her appeal lies in her grandmotherly aura.

From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2023

The grandmotherly researcher looked like an older version of my mother, and I didn’t want to imagine my mother growing old.

From "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin