Grandfather
/ˈɡrændˌfɑːðər/noun
The father of one’s parent.
Did you know?The first element, grand, comes through Old French from Latin grandis, meaning “large” or “great,” so the word is really a prestige title for an older father figure rather than a mystical term.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʷerh₂-
“To grow, become large”
Latin
Latin
grandis
“Large, great, full-grown”
Old French
OF
grant
“Large, great”
Old English
OE
fæder
“Father”
Middle English
ME
grandsire
“Grandfather, ancestor”
Modern English
English
grandfather
“The father of one’s parent”