WordGarden.iograndmother
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡrˈændmʌðə/
US
- /ˈɡrændˌməðər/
Meanings
Noun
the mother of one's parent
a female ancestor, founder, or early model of something
Beyond the definition
A grandmother, often called "Grandma," "Nana," or another family nickname, is the mother of your mother or father. In many families, she is an older relative who gives care, shares stories, and stays closely tied to family life. The word usually means a family relationship, but people can also use it for a woman who feels like one because she is kind, caring, and protective, even if she is not related by blood.
The word "grandmother" means the mother of your mother or father. It names a clear family relationship, but it also carries a strong sense of closeness in everyday life. For many people, a grandmother is someone who is part of childhood memories, family gatherings, stories from the past, and small acts of care that stay with you for years.
In its main use, the word refers to a biological grandmother or a grandmother through marriage, depending on the family context. People also use related phrases such as "maternal grandmother" for your mother's mother and "paternal grandmother" for your father's mother when they need to be specific. In ordinary conversation, though, most people simply say "grandmother," "grandma," "gran," "nana," or another family name.
The word can also be used in a wider, figurative way. A person might speak of a "grandmother figure" when an older woman offers the same kind of care, guidance, or steady presence that many people connect with this role, even without a blood relationship. That extended use still grows out of the central meaning: an older woman connected with family, care, and one generation leading into the next.
Examples
- 1
Family background
My grandmother still lives in the village where my father grew up.
- 2
Visiting home
We usually go to my grandmother's for Sunday lunch.
- Grammarsomeone's
someone's home
- 3
Regular contact
I call my grandmother every Sunday evening.
- 4
Caregiving
He was raised by his grandmother after his parents moved abroad.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Two grandmothers
Both of my grandmothers came to the school play.
- 6
New grandchild
She became a grandmother for the first time at fifty.
- Phrasebecome a grandmother
start having a grandchild
- 7
Familiar address
The children in the building call her Grandma May, even though she isn't related to them.
- UsageGrandma + name
a warm, familiar way to address an older woman
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- maternal grandmother
- paternal grandmother
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- my grandmother
- grandmother on my mother's side
- grandmother on my father's side
Word family
- grandmotherly
Explore
- grandparent
- great-grandmother
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- grandmothernoun
Forms
- grandmotherspluralnoun