gramp Look up gramp at
1898, colloquial or dialectal shortening of grandpa.
grampus (n.) Look up grampus at
a word applied to killer whales and other large, dolphin-like creatures, 1590s, earlier graundepose (1520s), altered (by influence of grand) from Middle English graspeys (late 13c.), from Anglo-French grampais, from Old French graspois, craspois "whale, (salted) whale meat; blubber; seal," from Medieval Latin craspicis, literally "great fish" or "fat fish," from Latin crassus "thick" + piscis "fish" (see fish (n.)). For specifics of usage in English, see OED.
gran (2) Look up gran at
Italian, the form of grand before nouns.
gran (1) Look up gran at
childish abbreviation of grandmother or granny, 1863.
Granada Look up Granada at
Moorish kingdom, after 1492 a Spanish province, named for its city, which was founded in 8c. by the Arabs on the site of Roman Illiberis. The name is said to be from Latin granatum "pomegranate," either from fruit grown in the region or from some fancied resemblance. Others connect the name to Moorish karnattah, said to mean "hill of strangers." The Roman name is said to be Iberian and represent cognates of Basque hiri "town" + berri "new," and it survives in the name of the surrounding Sierra Elvira. Related: Granadine.
granary (n.) Look up granary at
1560s, from Latin granaria (plural) "granary, store-house for grain," from granum "grain," from PIE root *gre-no- "grain" (see corn (n.1)).
grand (adj.) Look up grand at
late 14c., grant "large, big" (early 12c. in surnames), from Anglo-French graunt and directly from Old French grant, grand (10c., Modern French grand) "large, tall; grown-up; great, powerful, important; strict, severe; extensive; numerous," from Latin grandis "big, great; full, abundant," also "full-grown;" figuratively "strong, powerful, weighty, severe," of unknown origin. In Vulgar Latin it supplanted magnus and continued in the Romanic languages. The connotations of "noble, sublime, lofty, dignified," etc., were in Latin. In English it developed a special sense of "imposing." Meaning "principal, chief, most important" (especially in titles) is from 1560s; that of "of very high or noble quality" is from 1712. As a general term of admiration, "magnificent, splendid," from 1816. Related: Grander; grandest.

Grand jury is late 15c. Grand piano from 1797. The grand tour of the principal sites of continental Europe, as part of a gentleman's education, is attested by that name from 1660s. The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River in western U.S. was so called by 1869, popularized by Maj. John Wesley Powell, scientific adventurer, who explored it; earlier it had been known as Big Canyon. For grand slam see slam (n.2).
grand (n.) Look up grand at
grand mal Look up grand mal at
"convulsive epilepsy" (with loss of consciousness), 1842 as a French term in English, from French grand mal, literally "great sickness" (see grand (adj.)). Opposed to petit mal.
Grand Marnier (n.) Look up Grand Marnier at
Grand Old Party (n.) Look up Grand Old Party at
see GOP.
grand prix Look up grand prix at
grand- Look up grand- at
a special use of grand (adj.) in genealogical compounds, originally with the sense of "a generation older than," first attested c. 1200, in Anglo-French graund dame "grandmother," also grandsire (late 13c.), from such use of Old French grand-, which perhaps is modeled on Latin avunculus magnus "great uncle." The partly-Englished grandmother, grandfather are from 15c. Other such words in European languages are formed with the adjectives for "old" or "best" (Danish bedstefar) or as diminutives or pet names (Greek pappos, Welsh taid). The French formation also is the model for such words in German and Dutch. Spanish abuelo is from Latin avus "grandfather" (from PIE *awo- "adult male relative other than the father;" see uncle), via Vulgar Latin *aviolus, a diminutive or adjective substitution for the noun.

The extension of the sense to corresponding relationships of descent, "a generation younger than" (grandson, granddaughter) is from Elizabethan times. The inherited PIE root, *nepot- "grandchild" (see nephew) has shifted to "nephew; niece" in English and other languages (Spanish nieto, nieta). Old English used suna sunu ("son's son"), dohtor sunu ("son's daughter").
grand-daughter (n.) Look up grand-daughter at
also granddaughter, 1610s, from grand- + daughter.
grandad (n.) Look up grandad at
also granddad, 1793, from grand- + dad. Grand dada attested from 1690s. Grandaddy is attested from 1751; figuratively (in grandaddy of all _____) from 1898.
grandame (n.) Look up grandame at
also grandam, c. 1200, "a grandmother; an old woman," from grand- + dame. Compare Anglo-French graund dame. Contracted form grannam attested from 1590s. Grand dame "great lady, lady of rank and dignity" (1744) is a modern borrowing from French.
grandchild (n.) Look up grandchild at
grandee (n.) Look up grandee at
grandeur (n.) Look up grandeur at
c. 1500, "loftiness, height," from Middle French grandeur, from Old French grandor "size, height, extent, magnitude; greatness" (12c.), from grand "great" (see grand (adj.)). "Being a word of late adoption, it retains the Fr. form -eur of the suffix." Extended sense of "majesty, stateliness" in English is first recorded 1660s.
grandfather (n.) Look up grandfather at
early 15c., from grand- + father (n.), probably on analogy of French grand-père. Replaced grandsire and Old English ealdefæder. Grandfather clause originally (1899) referred to exemptions from post-Reconstruction voting restrictions (literacy, property tax) in the U.S. South for men whose forebears had had the right to vote before 1867 (thus allowing poor and illiterate whites to continue to vote). Grandfather clock is from 1894, originally grandfather's clock (1876), "a furniture dealer's name" [OED] from "My Grandfather's Clock," the 1876 song by Henry Clay Work that was enormously popular (and loathed) in late 1870s. It indicates that they were beginning to seem old-fashioned; they were previously known as tall case clocks or eight-day clocks.
grandfatherly (adj.) Look up grandfatherly at
1824, from grandfather + -ly (1).
grandiloquence (n.) Look up grandiloquence at
grandiloquent (adj.) Look up grandiloquent at
grandiose (adj.) Look up grandiose at
1828 (earlier as a French word in English), from French grandiose "impressive, grand in effect" (18c.), from Italian grandioso (which also was borrowed directly into English as a musical term), from Latin grandis "big" (see grand (adj.)). Related: Grandiosely.
grandiosity (n.) Look up grandiosity at
1814, from French grandiosité; see grandiose + -ity.
grandly (adv.) Look up grandly at
grandma (n.) Look up grandma at
1793, shortening of grandmama (1749), childish or familiar form of grandmother (see grand- + mama).
grandmaster (n.) Look up grandmaster at
as a chess title, 1927, from grand (adj.) in the sense "chief, principal" + master (n.). Earlier (as two words) a title in Freemasonry (1724) and in military orders of knighthood (1550s).
grandmother (n.) Look up grandmother at
early 15c., from grand- + mother (n.1), probably on analogy of French grand-mère. Replaced earlier grandame (c. 1200) and Old English ealdemodor.
grandmotherly (adj.) Look up grandmotherly at
1811, from grandmother + -ly (1).
grandness (n.) Look up grandness at
1722, from grand (adj.) + -ness.
grandpa (n.) Look up grandpa at
1814, shortening of grandpappa (1753), childish or familiar form of grandfather (see grand- + pa). Grandpappa is recorded from 1753, grandpop from 1860, grandpappy from 1853.
grandparent (n.) Look up grandparent at
1802, from grand- + parent (n.). Related: Grandparents; grandparental.
grandsire (n.) Look up grandsire at
"a grandfather," late 13c., from Anglo-French graunt sire; see grand- + sire (n.). From 19c. often in reference to animal lineages.
grandson (n.) Look up grandson at
1580s, from grand + son.
grandstand (n.) Look up grandstand at
"main seating for spectators at an outdoor event," 1761 (two words), from grand (adj.) + stand (n.). The verb meaning "to show off" is student slang from 1895, from grandstand player, attested in baseball slang from 1888.
grange (n.) Look up grange at
mid-13c. in surnames and place names; c. 1300 as "group of farms, small village," also "a granary, barn" (early 14c.), "outlying buildings of a monastic or other estate" (late 14c.), "small farm" (mid-15c.), and compare granger; from Anglo-French graunge, Old French grange "barn, granary; farmstead, farm house" (12c.), from Medieval Latin or Vulgar Latin granica "barn or shed for keeping grain," from Latin granum "grain," from PIE root *gre-no- "grain" (see corn (n.1)). Sense evolved to "outlying farm" (late 14c.), then "country house," especially of a gentleman farmer (1550s). Meaning "local lodge of the Patrons of Husbandry" (a U.S. farmers' cooperative and agricultural interest promotion organization) is from 1867.
granger (n.) Look up granger at
late 12c., "farm steward, man in charge of a grange," also as a surname, from Old French grangier "share-cropper, market-gardener," from grange "farmstead" (see grange). From 1873 in American English in reference to members of the Patrons of Husbandry farmers' association.
granite (n.) Look up granite at
1640s, from French granit(e) (17c.) or directly from Italian granito "granite," originally "grained," past participle adjective from granire "granulate, make grainy," from grano "grain," from Latin granum "grain" (see grain (n.)). In reference to the appearance of the rock. Used figuratively for "hardness" (of the heart, head, etc.) from 1839. New Hampshire, U.S., has been the Granite State since at least 1825.
granitic (adj.) Look up granitic at
1749, from granite + -ic.
granny (n.) Look up granny at
also grannie, 1660s, according to OED, most likely a diminutive and contraction of grannam, shortened form of grandame, rather than from grandmother. The sailor's granny knot (by 1803), originally granny's knot, readily jammed and insecure, is a reef or square knot with the second part crossed the wrong way, so called in contempt because "it is the natural knot tied by women or landsmen" [Smyth, "Sailor's Word-Book," 1867]. Granny Smith apples (1895) are said to have been named for Maria Ann Smith (d. 1870) of Australia, who originated them. Granny glasses attested from 1966.
granola (n.) Look up granola at
by 1967, American English, probably from Italian grano "grain," or granular, with commercial suffix -ola. Earlier, with a capital G-, it was a proprietary name (reg. 1886 by W.K. Kellogg, in use into early 20c.) for a kind of breakfast cereal.
grant (n.) Look up grant at
late 14c., "something granted; authoritative bestowal of a privilege, etc.," from Anglo-French graunt, Old French graant, collateral variant of creant "promise, assurance, vow; agreement, pact; will, wish, pleasure," from creanter "be pleasing; assure, promise, guarantee; confirm, authorize" (see grant (v.)). Earlier in English in now-obsolete sense of "allowance, permission" (c. 1200). Especially "money formally granted by an authority" from c. 1800. In American English, especially of land, from c. 1700.
grant (v.) Look up grant at
in early use also graunt, early 13c., "to allow, permit (something); consent to (a prayer, request, etc.)," from Old French graanter, variant of creanter "assure, promise, guarantee, swear; confirm, authorize, approve (of)," from Latin credentem (nominative credens), present participle of credere "to believe, to trust" (see credo). From c. 1300 as "transfer possession of in any formal way." Meaning "admit to be true, acknowledge" in English is from c. 1300; hence to take (something) for granted "regard as not requiring proof" (1610s). The irregular change of -c- to -g- in Old French is perhaps from influence of garantir. Related: Granted; granting.
grantee (n.) Look up grantee at
in legal language, "person to whom a thing is granted," late 15c., from grant (v.) + -ee.
grantor (n.) Look up grantor at
in legal language, "person who makes a grant or conveyance," 1620s, from Anglo-French grantor, Old French graanter agent noun from granter "give; agree, consent; admit; permit" (see grant (v.)). Native form granter (n.) is attested from c. 1400.
granular (adj.) Look up granular at
1790, from Late Latin granulum "granule, a little grain," diminutive of Latin granum "grain, seed," from PIE root *gre-no- "grain" (see corn (n.1)) + -ar. Replaced granulous (late 14c.). Related: Granularity.
granulate (v.) Look up granulate at
1660s, transitive and intransitive, back-formation from granulation. Related: Granulated; granulating.
granulation (n.) Look up granulation at
1610s, from Late Latin granulum "granule" (see granular) + -ation.
granule (n.) Look up granule at
1650s, from French granule or directly from Late Latin granulum "small grain," diminutive of Latin granum "grain," from PIE root *gre-no- "grain" (see corn (n.1)).