Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “grandfather” come from?

Grandfather comes from English grandfather clause, a legal term whose origin and original meaning remain undetermined.

grandfather (English): A father of someone's parent; A male forefather;...

Definitions

  1. A father of someone's parent; A male forefather;...

Ancestry of “grandfather”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgrandfadre—

Words derived from “grandfather”

  • grandfatherly
  • stepgrandfather
  • grandfatherhood
  • co-grandfather-in-law
  • grandfather-in-law
  • co-grandfather
Every word from Middle English grandfadre →