Granny
Your grandmother, or a respectful name for an older woman.
Also called grannie, grandma.
Updated September 24, 2026
Granny pronunciation
/GRAN-ee/
Meaning
In redneck and rural Southern talk, Granny is the everyday word for grandma. Folks say it with love, not formality. You also hear it stuck on a first name (Granny Mae, Granny Lou) or aimed at an older woman in the community who ain't even kin. Same word shows up in "granny woman," the old mountain name for a midwife, but plain Granny usually just means the woman who raised your mama.
How folks use it
- “We're headin' over to Granny's for Sunday dinner.”
- “Ask Granny Collins how she puts up those beans.”
Origin and etymology
Shortened from grandmother. Scots-Irish and English settlers brought the word into the Southern mountains, and it stuck hard in Appalachian and rural Southern speech. The Dictionary of American Regional English lists it for both grandmother and older woman across the South and South Midland.
Frequently asked questions
Is Granny the same as a granny woman?
Not always. Granny usually means your grandmother. A granny woman was the midwife or healer folks called when a baby was coming.