Where does “great-grandfather” come from?

great-grandfather (English) comes from English great-, from Proto-Indo-European gret-, from Middle English gret — Alternative form of grete; great.

great-grandfather (English): The father of one's grandparent

Definitions

  1. The father of one's grandparent

Ancestry of “great-grandfather”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishgreat-With familial designations, used to denote a...
2Proto-Indo-Europeangret-tracery; wattle; cradle; cage; basket
3Middle EnglishgretAlternative form of grete; great

Words derived from “great-grandfather

Every word from Middle English gretEvery word from English great-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gret-
great-grandfather — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer