grandparent

American  

[gran-pair-uhnt, -par-, grand-] / ˈgrænˌpɛər ənt, -ˌpær-, ˈgrænd- /

noun

1. a parent of a parent.

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grandparent British  

/ ˈɡrænˌpɛərənt, ˈɡrænd- /

noun

1. the father or mother of either of one's parents

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Usage

What does grandparent mean? A grandparent is the parent of a person’s parent. When a parent’s child has children, that parent becomes a grandparent. Grandmothers and grandfathers are grandparents. A parent of a grandparent is called a great-grandparent. In your family tree, you have four grandparents and eight great-grandparents. Most people refer to their grandparents with titles like grandma and grandpa. Example: It doesn’t matter what you call your grandparents, as long as you call them.

Other Word Forms

• grandparental adjective
• grandparenting noun

Etymology

Origin of grandparent

First recorded in 1820–30; grand- + parent

Explanation

A grandparent is your parent's parent. Your dad's mother is your grandparent, and so is your mom's father. If you're lucky enough to have living grandparents, then that's pretty grand. Most people have a special name for each of their grandparents, whether it's "Grandma," "Grandpa Bob," or "Nana." Others never have the chance to meet their grandparents, but everyone has them. The word grandparent, first used at the start of the nineteenth century, uses grand in its sense of "a generation older than." Your grandparents are a generation older than your parents.

Example Sentences

Another factor to consider is that my family tends to be long-lived — I still have a grandparent living independently at age 102.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

“What stood out most to us was that being a caregiving grandparent seemed to matter more for cognitive functioning than how often grandparents provided care or what exactly they did with their grandchildren,” said Chereches.

From Science Daily • Jan. 29, 2026

When it comes to lotteries, Mr. Kessler suggests asking a spouse, friend or grandparent to enter as well.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

Many people have a fond memory of playing catch with someone special — a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, a lifelong friend.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 21, 2025

Burying my nose in the flowers, I sidestepped a legendary grandparent on roller skates and a couple of guys carrying guitar cases to reach the drive-in menu, posted at the service stall.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith