# Grande

/ˈɡɹænd/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/grande
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. coffee size

adjective · CEFR B1 · American English

a medium-large size for a drink, usually 16 ounces (about 450 ml), in some coffee shops.

For teachers: denoting a specific size of beverage, typically 16 fluid ounces, popularized by international coffee chains. Non-gradable in this commercial context.

- I would like a grande latte with oat milk, please.
- The customer hesitated between the tall and the grande, eventually deciding that sixteen ounces of caffeine was necessary for the morning meeting.

### 2. a drink of that size

noun · CEFR B1 · American English · Informal

a cup of coffee or another drink in a grande size.

For teachers: a beverage served in a 16-ounce container.

- She ordered two grandes and a blueberry muffin.
- By the time the third grande was finished, he felt alert enough to tackle the complex data analysis required for the project.

### 3. a person of high rank

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Formal

a person of high social rank or importance, especially in Spain or Portugal.

For teachers: a variant spelling of 'grandee', referring to a nobleman of the highest rank or a person of high station. Often used figuratively to describe influential figures in an industry.

- The local grande hosted a dinner for the visiting diplomats.
- The tech grande exerted significant influence over the city's urban planning, much to the chagrin of local community organisers.

## Examples

- I would like a grande latte, please.
- The hotel lobby was decorated in a grande style that made every guest feel like royalty.
- While the architect's vision was certainly grande, the city council worried that the sheer scale of the marble columns would overwhelm the modest neighborhood surrounding the site.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.