farfar

Farfar is a kinship term used in Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian to denote the paternal grandfather. It translates literally to “father’s father” and is equivalent to the English term “paternal grandfather.” The word is commonly used in everyday speech as well as in genealogical and historical contexts.

In the Scandinavian family vocabulary, farfar stands alongside other grandparent terms that distinguish parental lines. The corresponding terms are morfar for the maternal grandfather, farmor for the paternal grandmother, and mormor for the maternal grandmother. These distinctions reflect traditional systems of family naming that emphasize lineage through the father or mother.

Etymologically, farfar is a compound built from far (father) and a form identifying the grandfather, resulting in a clear reference to the paternal line. While the exact historical development varies by language, the concept of a paternal grandfather is widely recognized across Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish usage.

In modern usage, farfar is a standard, neutral term suitable for both formal and informal contexts. It appears in family conversations, education, and written records. Although primarily a Scandinavian term, its understanding may be familiar to speakers of related languages, where direct equivalents exist for referring to a grandfather on the father’s side.