grandfather clock

noun

A longcase clock.

Similar
longcase clock
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Meanings

noungrandfather clock (plural grandfather clocks)

plural grandfather clocks

  1. A longcase clock.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna pendulum clock enclosed in a tall narrow case

Similar
longcase clock
Broader
pendulum clock
Also see
longcase clock

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From an 1876 song, Grandfather's Clock, by American songwriter Henry Work, based on a clock in the George Hotel in Piercebridge, County Durham, England, which stopped keeping time after its owner died.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans staanhorlosie
  • staanhorlosiefreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Arabic سَاعَة جَدّ
  • سَاعَة جَدّfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Danish bornholmerur, standur
  • bornholmerurfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
  • standurfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
  • diernæsklokke (from Diernæs, Funen)freestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Esperanto kestohorloĝo
  • kestohorloĝofreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Finnish kaappikello
  • kaappikellofreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
French pendule à balancier
  • pendule à balancierfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
German Bodenstanduhr, Standuhr
  • Bodenstanduhrfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
  • Standuhrfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
  • Großvateruhrfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Hebrew אוֹרְלוֹגִין
  • אוֹרְלוֹגִין (orlogín)freestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Hungarian állóóra, (nagy / talpas / földön álló) ingaóra
  • állóórafreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
  • (nagy / talpas / földön álló) ingaórafreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Korean 괘종시계
  • 괘종시계 (gwaejongsigye)freestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Malay jam besar berdiri
  • jam besar berdirifreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Polish zegar wahadłowy stojący, zegar szafkowy
  • zegar wahadłowy stojącyfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
  • zegar szafkowyfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Russian хо́дики
  • хо́дики (xódiki)freestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Scottish Gaelic gleoc àrd
  • gleoc àrdfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Spanish reloj de pie
  • reloj de piefreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Swedish golvur
  • golvurfreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Welsh cloc tad-cu, clociau tad-cu
  • cloc tad-cufreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
  • clociau tad-cufreestanding weight-driven pendulum clock
Cite this entry
APA

grandfather clock. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grandfather%20clock

MLA

“grandfather clock.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grandfather%20clock. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “grandfather clock,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/grandfather%20clock.

Source: grandfather clock on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.