Where does “great-grandmother” come from?

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

great-grandmother (English): The mother of one's grandparent

Definitions

  1. The mother of one's grandparent

Ancestry of “great-grandmother”, 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
Every word from Middle English gret →Every word from English great- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gret- →