Etymograph

English

grant

Grant comes from Middle English granten, and goes back to Old French granter.

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400granter1
  2. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400granter1
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500granten1
  4. Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1592grant1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English grant
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1591–1592, William Shakespeare, The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]: “Before I would have granted to that act. But…”.

Lineage

  1. Old Frenchc. 842–1400granterWiktionary, English grant
  2. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400granterWiktionary, English grant
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500grantenWiktionary, English grant
  4. Englishearliest quotation c. 1591–1592grantWiktionary, English grant. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: c. 1591–1592, William Shakespeare, The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]: “Before I would have granted to that act. But…”

Explore everything descended from granter →

No ads, ever. This is how the app stays alive.

Become a founding member, $29 onceWear this word, $32Support the app

Today it means

verb To give (permission or wish).

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “grant”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Old French granter / grant