grandmother
n.-
1 parent's mother (n.) A1 Beginnerthe mother of your father or your mother.
the mother of one's father or mother.
ExampleMy grandmother lives in a small house near the beach, and we visit her every summer.
ExampleHis grandmother celebrated her ninetieth birthday surrounded by three generations of her descendants, including twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
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2 female ancestor (n.) C1 Advanced Literarya woman from your family who lived a long time ago.
a female ancestor or progenitor within a lineage.
ExampleShe wanted to learn more about her grandmothers who lived in the village centuries ago.
ExampleThe historian traced the lineage back to a common grandmother who had settled in the valley during the early colonial period.
- ancestress
- foremother
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3 shamanic spirit (n.) C2 Proficiency Technical Religiona respectful name for a powerful plant medicine used in some South American cultures.
a reverential name for the ayahuasca vine or brew in Amazonian shamanism, personified as a wise guiding spirit.
ExampleThe shaman spoke of the grandmother as a teacher who shows people the truth.
ExampleIn traditional ceremonies, practitioners often refer to the brew as the grandmother, reflecting a deep spiritual relationship with the plant's perceived consciousness.
- ayahuasca
From Middle English graundmodre, grauntmoder, granmoder; equivalent to grand- + mother. Compare French grand-mère. Superseded earlier eldmother, eldermother.