Granny Woman
In Appalachian speech, a "granny woman" was a community midwife and folk healer. She delivered babies, treated sickness with herbs and home remedies, and carried generations of practical knowledge.
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I haven't heard 'granny woman' since I was a kid. This must be just an old timers one these days. I haven't heard 'granny woman' since I was a kid. This must be just an old timers one these days. Pronunciation
Meaning & Usage
- A midwife in Appalachian communities (noun)
Who delivered you?The granny woman - she delivered half the valley.- A folk healer with herbal knowledge (noun, cultural sense)
What’d they do for that cough back then?The granny woman brewed horehound tea and told you to rest.Origin and Etymology
The term blends the kinship title "granny" with the role of community midwife. In Appalachian life of the 1800s and early 1900s, doctors were scarce, so women turned to these elder figures for childbirth and healing.
Usage Notes
The phrase is deeply Appalachian. Though midwifery has modernized, "granny woman" lives on in memory, folklore, and stories of mountain life. Outsiders may not recognize it, but to mountain families it was a vital role.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "granny woman." Stress falls on "granny."