granny flat

noun

chiefly British
: an apartment that is adjacent to the main living quarters of a house

Examples of granny flat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Their bipartisan bill will expand financing access for ADUs, which include backyard cottages, granny flats, in-law suites and similar units, also called tiny homes. Amelia Wu july 21, Sacbee.com, 21 July 2025 Mayor Brandon Johnson’s granny flat ordinance was stalled by opponents, efforts to override the mayor’s veto of a teen curfew rule failed and City Council members began jockeying to be the next Zoning Committee chair as Ald. Grace Miserocchi, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2025 People will be tempted to build ADUs [accessory dwelling units, also known as backyard apartments or ‘granny flats’] and maximize profits by turning them into STRVs. Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 June 2025 The man who claimed to be disrupting the backyard housing industry — securing financing, permits and building granny flats across San Diego County, before collecting millions of dollars without doing the work — is now seeking federal protection from his many creditors. Jeff McDonald, Mercury News, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for granny flat

Word History

Etymology

from its use by parents of the family living in the house

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of granny flat was in 1965

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Cite this Entry

“Granny flat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/granny%20flat. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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