granny

American  

[gran-ee] / ˈgræn i /

Or grannie

noun

plural

grannies

1. Informal. a grandmother.

2. an elderly woman.

3. a fussy person.

4. Chiefly Midland and Southern U.S. a nurse or midwife.

5. granny knot.

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adjective

grannier, granniest

1. of, relating to, or thought to be like a grandmother or an elderly or old-fashioned woman.

   granny notions about what's proper.

2. (of clothing for women or girls) being loose-fitted and having such features as high necklines, puff sleeves, long skirts, and ruffles and lace trimmings.

   a granny blouse; a granny nightgown.

granny British  

/ ˈɡrænɪ /

noun

1. informal words for grandmother

2. informal an irritatingly fussy person

3. a revolving cap on a chimneypot that keeps out rain, etc

4. a midwife or nurse

5. See granny knot

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Etymology

Origin of granny

1655–65; grand(mother) + -y ², with -nd- > -nn-

Example Sentences

Her look evolves from a worn-out cog to a biker-like granny who’d seem natural riding on the back of Dennis Hopper’s hog.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

From her embarrassing work mishaps, to her infamous granny pants, Bridget spoke to a generation who saw themselves in her - and has recently won over a whole new set of younger fans too.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

Kids are chatting or walking—solo, in pairs or trios—and a mother or granny holds a girl’s hand, probably waiting for an older sibling to come out of school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

When he moved out, Jamie went to live with his granny and one of his brothers.

From BBC • Jun. 30, 2025

If Red’s granny said that I must find my destiny, doesn’t that mean I have some say in where to look?

From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff

Related Words

• ancestor
• grandma
• matriarch