grandfather

From Wiktionary

Pronunciation[change]

  • (UK) IPA (key): /ˈɡræn(d)ˌfɑːðə(r)/ or /ˈɡrænˌfɑːðə/
  • (US) enPR: grănd′fä'thər, IPA (key): /ˈɡræn(d)ˌfɑðɚ/ or [ˈɡr(ʷ)ẽˑə̯̃n(d)ˌfɑˑðɚ]
  • (file)
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  • Hyphenation: grand‧fa‧ther

Noun[change]

Singular
grandfather

Plural
grandfathers

A family tree
  1. (countable) A grandfather is the father of a person or animal's parent.
    My grandfather was very old when I was still a boy.


Members of a family (edit)

parent: father - mother | spouse: husband - wife | child: son - daughter | sibling: brother - sister | uncle | aunt | nephew - niece | cousin | grandparent: grandfather - grandmother | grandchild: grandson - granddaughter

Verb[change]

Plain form
grandfather

Third-person singular
grandfathers

Past tense
grandfathered

Past participle
grandfathered

Present participle
grandfathering

  1. (transitive), (law) When someone is grandfathered, it can continue doing or having something when a new law doesn't allow it.
    The new laws don't allow buildings that are over 50 feet tall, but the skyscrapers that already exist are grandfathered, so they can stay taller than 50 feet.