A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1951 (DOST Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Grandame, n. Also: grandeame, grandhame, grandhom; granddem; graunde dame. [ME. graundam, grandame (a 1225); AF. graund dame grandmother. Cf. Grantdame.]
1. Grandmother. Also grit grandame great-grandmother.c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2585.
Thetis … moder … to Achilles, Grandame to Pirrus a1500 Colk. Sow 753.
Gurgunnald my grit grandame 1493 Acta Conc. I. 262/2.
Elizabethe Auchinlek the dochter and are of vmquhile James Auchinlek and Elizabeth hir granddem 1498 Liber Melros 621.
Jonet covntes of Murray and lady Frendraucht my grandame a1500 Bk. Chess 622.
To the gud moder, douchter, se yow go, So that hir grandame be of gud fame also 1512 Douglas Chart. 211.
Landis … clamit … to pertene to hir as air till vmquhile Elspeth Mailuile, hir grandeame, and Gelis Mailuile, hir grandeamis sister
2. Great-grandmother.1400 Douglas Corr. 60.
Gif Dame Alice of Bewmont was yhour graunde dame, dame Mariory Comyne, hyrre full sister, was my graunde dame on the tother syde, sa that I am bot the feirde degre of kyn tyll yhow 1543 Inverness Sheriff Ct. 15.
His father, mother, guid schyir, guidame, grandschyir, grandeam … or … utheris his predecessouris 1617 Crim. Trials III. 422.
The said Mr. Alex. Colviles grandame … , quha is ane; the said Mr. Alexanderis guidschir, tua; the said Mr. Alexanderis father, thre; and himself the fourt 1648 Misc. Spald. C. V. 331.
Whos mother wes dochter to vmquhill William Earle Marshall, his gudame dochter to the Earle Findlater, and his grandame dochter to my Lord Forbes 1650 Ib. 334.
His grandhom [was] Elizabeth Irving … His grandhame, on the mother syde, was Margaret Gordoun
3. A great-great-grandmother's mother.1531 Bell. Boece II. 344.
King Alexander [the Third] … tuke up the bonis of his grandame [L. ataviae] Sanct Margaret
