grandfathering
- noun
- /ˈɡrændˌfɑːðərɪŋ/
- Formal
- The new law includes a grandfathering clause that allows some businesses to continue operating without immediate compliance.
- grandfathering provision
Examples
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The Americans with Disabilities Act is a generally applicable law, even though it too has grandfathering provisions.
Blog text (13) -
Generators of electricity and their allies pushed for grandfathering or related forms of free allocation.
Academic text (2010) -
This grandfathering has been done in all cap-and-trade programs.
Academic text (2000) -
On the issue of bilateral agreements, the grandfathering provision in the Administration's bill makes sense.
Academic text (1992) -
I am sure they would end the grandfathering in a heartbeat if it didn't come with such bad press.
Blog text (19) -
Existing risks are due to, among other things: 1) the requirement that access to high-risk pools prior to 2014 depends on lacking insurance for 6 months before applying, and/or 2) the grandfathering of some plans in existence prior to March 23, 2010 from some requirements.
Blog text (21) -
Many local governments adopted a grandfathering practice that permits homeowners to keep their existing zoning arrangements.
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Under the grandfathering policy, current employees can retain their benefits even after the new rules take effect.
Synonyms
An exception allowing existing people or things to stay under old rules when new ones start
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
grandfathering = grandfather (semi-transparent) = grand + father + ing
The formation from the verb 'grandfather' to the gerund/nominal 'grandfathering' by adding '-ing' is a regular and transparent process.
Etymology
Grandfathering comes from an old legal idea called the 'grandfather clause', which let people keep an old right if their grandfather could do it before a certain date. So grandfathering now means allowing existing people or things to stay under the old rules when new rules start.