Pronunciation

/ˈɡrænˌmʌðər/

Definitions

• Noun: The mother of one’s own parent; the female ancestor in the next generation above one’s parents. For example: “My grandmother taught me how to knit when I was young.”

Example Sentences:

• “I visited my grandmother every summer during my childhood.”
• “Her grandmother’s recipes have been passed down through generations.”

Phrases:

• “Grandmotherly love”: Refers to the affectionate and nurturing care often associated with grandmothers.
• “Grandmother clock”: A type of longcase clock that is usually shorter than a grandfather clock.

Synonyms:

• Granny
• Nana
• Grammy
• Gran
• Grandma
• Grandmum

Phrase Examples

• “She has her grandmother’s eyes.”
• “The family necklace was handed down from grandmother to granddaughter.”

Usage in Idioms

• “Like a cat on a hot tin roof”: This idiom describes someone who is very nervous or agitated, but can also be used humorously about an active or energetic person, often said about grandmothers or elderly individuals who defy expectations with their liveliness.

Note: While grandmother is typically a noun, it can sometimes function as an attributive noun, such as in the phrase “grandmother’s house,” where it acts like an adjective to describe which house it is. However, it does not commonly take on verb forms or other parts of speech outside of its primary noun usage.