great-grandchild

IPA/ˌɡreɪtˈɡræn.tʃaɪld/
IPA/ˌɡreɪtˈɡræn.tʃaɪld/

great-grandchild — noun

1. a son or daughter of one of your grandchildren, so two generations below your ow

1.nounB2
Definition

a son or daughter of one of your grandchildren, so two generations below your own children.

Example

Otis held his first great-grandchild for over an hour at the hospital.

possessive + headword as direct object

Amihan keeps a framed photo of her four great-grandchildren on the piano.

plural form: great-grandchildren

Common collocations
  • first great-grandchild
  • youngest great-grandchild
  • newborn great-grandchild
  • have a great-grandchild
Synonyms
Antonyms

Usage Note

Hyphenated in modern usage; plural is 'great-grandchildren'. Subject is usually a senior family member describing a descendant; rarely the speaker's own age peer.

Common Mistakes

My grandchild's baby' (when you mean the formal relationship).
My great-grandchild.
'great-grandchild' is the standard one-word kinship term.
He has three great-grandchilds.
He has three great-grandchildren.
the plural follows 'child → children'.

Word family

  • great-grandson
    nounB2
  • great-granddaughter
    nounB2
  • great-grandparent
    nounB2
  • grandchild
    nounA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to people who come after you in the family line, but they sit at different levels of precision. 'Great-grandchild' is the neutral kinship term covering either sex two generations below your own children — exactly one step beyond 'grandchild'. 'Great-grandson' and 'great-granddaughter' specify the sex; you use them when the gender matters for the sentence or the relationship is clear. 'Descendant' is much broader and more formal: it covers anyone in your family line, from your own children all the way to ancestors many generations down, and is common in legal, historical, or genealogical contexts. So a will might mention 'descendants', a hospital birth card mentions 'great-grandchild', and a baby announcement might say 'great-granddaughter'.

great-grandchild ↗great-grandsongreat-granddaughterdescendant ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • the first great-grandchild
  • a newborn great-grandchild
  • have a great-grandchild on the way

Prepositions

Etymology

Anglo-FrenchMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed in modern English by adding 'great-' to 'grandchild' to mark one more generational step. 'Grandchild' itself dates to the 1500s, modelled on 'grandfather' / 'grandmother', where 'grand-' was borrowed from Anglo-French 'graund' meaning 'one step further removed'. Adding a further 'great-' simply extends the same rule by another generation.