great-grandmother

American  

[greyt-gran-muhth-er, -grand-, -gram-] / ˌgreɪtˈgrænˌmʌð ər, -ˈgrænd-, -ˈgræm- /

noun

1. a grandmother of one's father or mother.

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Usage

What does great-grandmother mean? A great-grandmother is the mother of a person’s grandparent (the grandmother of a person’s parent).When a mother’s child has their own children, that mother becomes a grandmother. When those children have their own children, she becomes a great-grandmother.Should great-grandmother be capitalized?Great-grandmother should be capitalized when it’s used as a proper name, as in Please tell Great-grandmother that I miss her. But great-grandmother does not need to be capitalized when it’s simply used as a way to refer to her, as in Please tell my great-grandmother that I miss her. Example: My kids were lucky enough to get to know three of their great-grandmothers.

Etymology

Origin of great-grandmother

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

Take, for example, Parton’s great-grandmother, Tennessee, who kept her home open for “singing, fiddling, and buck dancing.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

One of Barnett’s previous clients was Alice Marie Johnson, a great-grandmother serving a life sentence for a first-time federal drug offense; Trump commuted her sentence in 2018 before fully pardoning her in 2020.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 12, 2025

The 16-year-old has enjoyed the country dance style since she was seven, following in the footsteps of her mum, grandmother and great-grandmother.

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2025

The names given to the princess - Charlotte Elizabeth Diana - include references to her grandmother Diana and great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.

From BBC • May 2, 2025

My great-grandmother didn’t want any of my excuses.

From "Gone Crazy in Alabama" by Rita Williams-Garcia