arrière-grand-mère
The English phrase "great grandmother" is arrière-grand-mère in French.
Use arrière-grand-mère to refer to the mother of one's grandmother.
What does it mean word for word?
The prefix arrière- literally means "back" or "behind", and it is used here to denote a generation further back.
How does it change in a sentence?
arrière-grand-mère is a feminine noun. The term is always hyphenated in French. If you wish to say "great-great-grandmother", you repeat the prefix to form arrière-arrière-grand-mère.
Did you know?
- The word arrière is a cognate of the English word 'rear', as both derive from the Latin 'retro' meaning 'back'.
- While arrière-grand-mère is the formal term, some French families use the affectionate nickname mamie or mamou regardless of whether the relative is a grandmother or a great-grandmother.
- In French genealogy, the term arrière- can be stacked indefinitely, such as arrière-arrière-arrière-grand-mère, whereas English often switches to 'third-great-grandmother' to avoid repetition.
Examples in context
- As-tu une arrière-grand-mère ?Do you have a great-grandmother?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has an arrière-grand-mère.Tatoeba #10489272 by pkill, translation #13855520 by tieguy
- Mon arrière-grand-mère a secrètement déménagé en Grande-Bretagne pendant la guerre.My great grandmother secretely moved to Great Britain during the war.This sentence is useful for describing a great-grandmother who moved to Great Britain using arrière-grand-mère.Tatoeba #13954100 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13954099 by Ioan_Cristian
- Mon arrière-grand-mèreMy great grandmother
- Mon arrière-grand-mère aimait beaucoup cuisiner.My great grandmother loved to cook very much.
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are looking at old family photos.
- HugoQui est cette femme sur la photo ?Who is this woman in the photo?
- ChloéC'est mon arrière-grand-mère.It is my great grandmother.
- HugoElle a l'air très élégante.She looks very elegant.
- ChloéOui, elle était une femme très distinguée.Yes, she was a very distinguished woman.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries arrière-grand-mère, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
