grandmother
gb/ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/ us/ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/
A1
English
~ 5100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
mother of your father or mother
The mother of your mother or the mother of your father.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s grandmother
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only the informal word "grandma" in all situations, including writing and formal speech. Use "grandmother" in formal or polite contexts, and remember that it is usually used with a possessive word such as "my", "her", or "their" (for example, "my grandmother", not just "grandmother" unless you mean grandmothers in general).
Synonyms
grandma (More informal and common in everyday speech, especially with family and friends.)
|
granny (Informal and sometimes dialectal; can sound more childish or affectionate.)
Antonyms
grandfather (Refers to the male counterpart in the same family relationship.)
Collocations
maternal grandmother
|paternal grandmother
|my grandmother
|loving grandmother
|proud grandmother
|grandmother on my mother's side
Themes
family
|relationships
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- My grandmother taught me how to bake bread when I was a child.
- We visit my grandmother every Sunday at her house in the countryside.
- Her paternal grandmother was born in Italy and moved here as a teenager.
- After the ceremony, the bride hugged her grandmother and thanked her for coming.
- His grandmother still sends him a birthday card every year.
Learner examples
- My grandmother lives in a small town.
- I call my grandmother every weekend.
- His grandmother is 80 years old.
- Her grandmother takes care of her after school.
- We had dinner with my grandmother last night.
Grammar
Dictionary form
grandmother
IPA
GB/ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/
US/ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ/
Syllables & stress
grand - moth - er (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (grand)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: grandmother
- Plural: grandmothers
Word family
Forms
grandmothers
noun
Core family
Related words
Advanced or less common
grandmotherly
adjective
Expressions
teach your grandmother to suck eggs
1/tˈit͡ʃ jˈʊɹ ɡɹˈændmˌʌðɚ tə sˈʌk ˈɛɡz/
idiom
informal
advise someone much more experienced
To give advice to someone who already knows a lot more than you about that thing, so your advice is not needed.
Examples
- You don't need to tell her how to run a classroom; don't try to teach your grandmother to suck eggs.
- He's been a mechanic for forty years, so I'm not going to teach my grandmother to suck eggs by explaining how an engine works.
- I know you're trying to help, but you're teaching your grandmother to suck eggs here—I've done this many times before.