Grandees
/ɡrænˈdiːz/noun
Important or high-ranking people in society, especially those of noble or aristocratic status.
Did you know?The word ultimately traces back to Latin *grandis*, meaning “large” or “full-grown,” which also gave English words like *grand* and *grandeur*—so status was once imagined as size itself.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
grandis
“large, full-grown, great”
Old French
Old French
grant
“great, large, important”
Middle English
English
grande
“a great person; a person of rank”
16th Century
English
grandee
“a person of high rank or dignity, especially in Spain or Portugal”
Modern English
English
grandees
“high-ranking or influential people”
Explore more surprising origins