variants
also grandaddy
as in ancestor
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the granddaddy of all English mystery novels
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of granddaddy
As the granddaddy of partnerships with limited liability, the LP, the original limited partnership, offered taxpayers the strongest claim for invoking the loophole.
—
Paul Kiel, ProPublica, 11 Dec. 2024
Also part of this collection is hats, jackets and socks all paying homage to the granddaddy of American guitars.
—Ron Hart, SPIN, 29 Nov. 2024
In October 1974, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre birthed Leatherface, arguably the granddaddy of all celluloid slashers, and radically altered the landscape of horror cinema forevermore.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2024
While Disney is the granddaddy of all movie licensors, rated the number one top global brand licensing company by License Global bringing in some $62 million last year, NBCUniversal is a few steps behind, ranked as the number six biggest licensing generator.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for granddaddy
Paul Kiel, ProPublica, 11 Dec. 2024
Also part of this collection is hats, jackets and socks all paying homage to the granddaddy of American guitars.
—Ron Hart, SPIN, 29 Nov. 2024
In October 1974, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre birthed Leatherface, arguably the granddaddy of all celluloid slashers, and radically altered the landscape of horror cinema forevermore.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 16 Oct. 2024
While Disney is the granddaddy of all movie licensors, rated the number one top global brand licensing company by License Global bringing in some $62 million last year, NBCUniversal is a few steps behind, ranked as the number six biggest licensing generator.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for granddaddy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for granddaddy
Noun
-
Porter County Board of Commissioners President Jim Biggs noted his ancestors were among the first white settlers in the county in 1835, at a settlement a few hundred feet from the site.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
18 May 2025
-
Moringa oleifera is native to Indian subcontinent, particularly the Himalayan foothills, while another species, Moringa stenopetala, grows in the Horn of Africa: southern Ethiopia, northern Kenya, and even Somalia, where Elba’s ancestors are from.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
15 May 2025
Noun
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While his Late Night forerunner Letterman was probably the comedic polestar of Generation X—gruff, cynical, and biting the hand that fed—O’Brien became a bedrock influence for the next generation of Millennial comics.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2025
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The New York Dolls were forerunners of punk, and the band's style -- teased hair, women's clothes and lots of makeup -- inspired the glam movement that took up residence in heavy metal a decade later in bands like Faster Pussycat and Mötley Crüe.—
MARK KENNEDY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
arkansasonline.com,
2 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
As this report explained, each park broke new ground and exceeded the expectations set by its predecessors.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
-
This isn’t going to be exactly like its immediate predecessors.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Granddaddy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/granddaddy. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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