grandma

plural grandmas · alternative granma · alternative gran'ma · alternative gramma

1. informalGrandmother.
2. childishcolloquialAny elderly woman, regardless of if she has grandchildren.

present singular third person grandmas · participle present grandma-ing · participle present grandmaing · participle past grandmaed · past grandmaed

1. informalraretransitiveTo address (someone) as “grandma”.

   “Gran-” Nancy started. / “Quit Grandma-ing me girl.[…]” Grandma Wilson insisted.

   2007, Lauri Robinson, chapter 14, in A Wife for Big John, Adams Basin, N.Y.: The Wild Rose Press, →ISBN

   3 more examples

   This Laura had died within a year of her marriage, but Lottie had claimed relationship to the family just the same, grandma-ing Mrs. Richards and aunty-ing the sisters. John, however, was never called uncle, except in fun.

   [c. 1890], Mary J[ane] Holmes, “Terrace Hill”, in Bad Hugh; or, The Diamond in the Rough (The Chimney Corner Series; 135), New York, N.Y.: F[rank] M[oore] Lupton, →OCLC, page 15, column 1

   “But Grandma—,” I said. […] “And don’t you go ‘Grandma-ing’ me neither,” she said.

   2003, Catherine Kimrey, chapter 14, in When We All Get to Heaven, Washington, D.C.: Washington Writers’ Publishing House, →ISBN, page 92

   “He can be my doctor anytime.” / “Grandma, eww!” / “Oh, stop grandma-ing me. You know I hate that. Come introduce us.”

   2017, Kristy Acevedo, chapter 21, in Contribute, Mendota Heights, Minn.: Jolly Fish Press, →ISBN, page 238

2. ambitransitiveinformalrareTo be or act as a grandmother to (someone).

   Her apron looks like a black belt in grandma-ing.

   2013, Kelsey Timmerman, “The Starbucks Experience”, in Where Am I Eating? An Adventure Through the Global Food Economy, Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., →ISBN, part I (Coffee: Product of Colombia), page 17

   4 more examples

   And what about Cliff working on cars and painting signs, and Wendy working nights to take care of that baby, and young Allen raking leaves for everyone, and Doris grandmaing folks, and wounded folks bouncing back to life . . . ?”

   2002, Thomas L. Jackson, “Mission”, in In Any Given Moment, [Bloomington, Ind.]: Xlibris, →ISBN, page 273

   “I don’t want you to be a grandma.” / But why, I wondered, worried that he perceived some defect in my grandma-ing ability. Doesn’t he think I’ll be a good grandma?

   2006, Jennifer Brown, “The Grill Drill”, in Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Maria Nickless, Elisa Morgan, Carol McAdoo Rehme, Chicken Soup for the Mother of Preschooler’s Soul: Stories to Refresh and Rekindle the Spirit of Moms of Little Ones (Chicken Soup for the Soul), Deerfield Beach, Fla.: Health Communications, Inc., →ISBN, section 8 (Through the Eyes of a Child), page 185

   Each is grandma’s favorite child / For them, ever tireless and without guile / They have a special place in her heart / She makes grandma’ing a work of art.

   2011 February 15, Larry Troxel, “Grandma’ing”, in Poems, Prn, Bloomington, Ind.: AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 19

   2. to act like a grandparent (moving slowly and carefully). {ʔuʔhúy t suʔsíyaʔs. She was just grandma-ing. (MJT)}

   2012, Timothy Montler, “síyaʔ”, in “Klallam-English Dictionary”, in Klallam Dictionary, Seattle, Wash.: University of Washington Press, →ISBN, page 381, column 1

1. derogatoryslangAn unfriendly and disparaging way of addressing an elderly woman whose name is unknown.