Meanings
- A person whose talent or destined career does not become apparent until they reach old age.
Father Point could fairly be called the Grandma Moses of the Rocky Mountain frontier. Born at the end of the eighteenth century, Nicolas Point dreamed of becoming a missionary to native peoples. His dream became reality but not before his life had almost gone in other directions.
2001, Peter Wild, Donald A. Barclay, James H. Maguire, Different Travellers, Different Eyes, page 61
Origin
From the nickname of Anna Mary Robertson Moses (1860–1961), American folk artist who began painting in earnest at the age of 78.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Grandma Moses. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Grandma%20Moses
“Grandma Moses.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Grandma%20Moses. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Grandma Moses,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Grandma%20Moses.
Source: Grandma Moses on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.