grandparent

American  

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

noun

• grandparents
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• grandparenting
  noun
• grandparental
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• grandparents
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of grandparent

First recorded in 1820–30; grand- + parent

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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

See Examples For:

grandparent grandparents

‘I don’t have to be a grandparent that visits. I get to be there for the everyday.’

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

Under the country’s Law of Return, any Jew or person with a single Jewish grandparent is generally entitled to Israeli citizenship.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

Denied, he settles for iced tea, but encourages me to eat with the geniality and concern of a grandparent.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

"Some people think that because a parent or grandparent had osteoarthritis, they will develop it too," Cheng said.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

I glance at the family eating Indian tacos and then at the legendary grandparent behind the counter pretending not to watch us.

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

Some boomer and Gen X parents and grandparents, however, are hesitant, fearing doing this could endanger their own financial security if they run into steep healthcare or long-term-care costs.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 31, 2026

Adults are waiting longer to have children, meaning first-time grandparents are getting older, too.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2026

The ad depicts two grandparents enthusiastically hugging a young boy, but when they approach their granddaughter she appears unhappy about the exchange.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

It’s Thursday night, and sitting at the top of the football bleachers after a two-hour drive from Mission Viejo are JT and Kathy Reis, grandparents of Palos Verdes High twins Christian and Weston Reis.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026

Iz was a Hawaiian singer who died years ago, but everyone—our grandparents, our parents, us—still loves him.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

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