nana

noun

ˈna-nə 

plural nanas

informal

: the mother of one's father or mother : grandmother

… my nana's commonsense wisdom still resonates. She told me it's not important what people say they do, it's what they do that counts.

—Ms.

The Detroit rapper [Big Sean] hopped on Instagram on Monday … to send out a heartfelt tribute to his nana, who he says has a special place in armed forces lineage.

—C. Vernon Coleman II

—often used as a form of address

"I don't know, Nana," said Eufala … . "It doesn't look very much like a car."

—Kathleen Lane and Cabell Harris

Examples of nana in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For many Black children, seeing a warm, confident woman who looks like their mom, auntie, or nana leading the classroom builds a sense of trust and reminds them that education belongs to them, too. —Keyaira Boone, Essence, 18 Sep. 2025

Send us your guest nominations, show reactions, podcast thoughts, maybe even your favorite joke, or your nana’s sketty sauce recipe via email to Outside Podcast At Outside Inc Dot Com. —Outside Online, 7 Aug. 2025

These are in cursive – kids, ask your nana to translate – and include details like home address and make of car. —Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 June 2025

His mother, my nana, grew up during the Johnson administration’s war on poverty. —Jonathon Sturgeon, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably of baby-talk origin

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nana

• anna
• canna
• chana
• grana
• kana
• manna
• plana
• prana
• rana
• sanna
• shanna
• thana