grandfather

grandfather · noun, verb¹

1. Middle French · derived fromgrandpere
2. Middle English · inherited fromgrandfadre
3. English todaygrandfather

The noun is derived from Middle English grandfadre, graundfadir, graunfadir, grauntfader, and other forms, from graunt (“big, large; great, important”) + fā̆der (“male parent, father; remoter male ancestor”), probably modelled after Middle French grandpere, grant pere (“male parent; remoter male ancestor”) (whence French grand-père); the English word is analysable as grand- + father. Superseded earlier eldfather, elderfather. The verb is derived from the noun.

grandfather · verb²

From grandfather clause: see grandfather (etymology 1) and clause.

First known use, by meaning

• from 15th c. A father of someone's parent.
• from 1950s To retain discontinued laws or rules for (an object, individual or organization previously affected by them).