Dictionary

grandmotherly en · ADJ

Etymology

Etymology tree English grandmother Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-West Germanic *-līk Old English -līċ Middle English -ly English -ly English grandmotherly From grandmother + -ly (adjectival suffix).

Meanings

1. Of or characteristic of grandmothers.
   • “Mr. Norton, your head!” he cried, a strange grandmotherly concern in his voice. 1952, Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man, Penguin Books (2014), page 103:
2. Resembling a grandmother.
   • Then grandmotherly, trust-inspiring 63-year-old Gertrude Pruett stopped sending out the lovely checks and it became harder and harder to get in touch with her or her son Harold. 2025, Carter Wilson, Martha's Insatiable Desires, the producer, the actress, and The fabulous French Impressionists:
   • One of the maids introduced me to Miss Clifford, the housekeeper, a grandmotherly yet somehow youthful woman who offered me a cup of tea I was too nervous to accept. She gave it to me anyway, calling me “love.” 2022, Hernan Diaz, Trust, Picador (2023), page 256:

Forms

Coordinates

grandfatherly · grandfatherly

Deriveds

ungrandmotherly · grandmotherliness

Relateds

motherly · big-brotherly · grandfatherly · fatherly · brotherly · big-sisterly · sisterly

Translations (6)

fr grand-maternel (of or characteristic of grandmothers) · pl babciny (resembling a grandmother) · pl babciny (of or characteristic of grandmothers) · fr grand-maternel (resembling a grandmother) · pl babciowy (resembling a grandmother) · pl babciowy (of or characteristic of grandmothers)