granite

[ gran-it ]

/ ˈgræn ɪt /

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noun

a coarse-grained igneous rock composed chiefly of orthoclase and albite feldspars and of quartz, usually with lesser amounts of one or more other minerals, as mica, hornblende, or augite.

anything compared to this rock in great hardness, firmness, or durability.

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Origin of granite

First recorded in 1640–50, granite is from the Italian word granito grainy. See grain, -ite¹

OTHER WORDS FROM granite

gra·nit·ic

[gruh-nit-ik], /grəˈnɪt ɪk/, adjectivegran·ite·like, adjectivepre·gra·nit·ic, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH granite

granite , granité

Words nearby granite

Granger Movement, Grani, Granicus, Granit, granita, granite, Granite City, granite paper, Granite Peak, Granite State, graniteware

Other definitions for granite (2 of 2)

granité

[ gran-i-tey, grah-ni-; French gra-nee-tey ]

/ ˌgræn ɪˈteɪ, ˌgrɑ nɪ-; French gra niˈteɪ /

noun French Cooking.

ice (def. 4).

Origin of granité

From French

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH granité

granite, granité

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use granite in a sentence

There’s nothing for the snow to bond to except for itself and granite.
The Historic Ski Descent of Half Dome|Chris Van Leuven|February 25, 2021|Outside Online
To my back was an outrageous view of the Sphinx, a massive granite sentinel that towers ominously over the entire valley.
Standing Up to a Bear in Kings Canyon|Emily Pennington|February 24, 2021|Outside Online
Yosemite features some of the world’s tallest granite walls, a parade of thundering waterfalls, and colossal domes and peaks carved in part by the ferocious power of ancient glaciers and volcanoes.
The Ultimate Yosemite National Park Travel Guide|Shawnté Salabert|February 22, 2021|Outside Online
In summer and fall, rock climbers go to City of Rocks National Reserve in southern Idaho—about three hours north of Salt Lake City or ten-plus hours from Seattle—to scale the granite faces the park is known for.
4 Awesome Winter Road Trips to National Parks|Megan Michelson|February 11, 2021|Outside Online

Most—though not all—activities involve finding ways to engage with it, whether that’s hiking along the coast, climbing the many pink granite cliffs, or kayaking or sailing to its offshore islands.
The Ultimate Acadia National Park Travel Guide|Virginia M. Wright|February 8, 2021|Outside Online
After that granite band is filled in, there are seven more blank ones on the next block.
It’s Time for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to Get a Parade of Their Own|Michael Daly|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Republican Scott Brown, the former Massachusetts senator now running in the Granite State, is the best conveyor of the message.
How to Politicize Ebola: Blame It on Obama—or the GOP|Eleanor Clift|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He was told it had gone well, he said, and he has already received two more invitations to the Granite State.
The GOP’s 2016 Dark Horse: This Guy?!|Ben Jacobs|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Two hours east of Dallas, sun-drenched granite cliffs loom high above the cloudy waters of Possum Kingdom Lake.
The World Series of Cliff Diving Takes Itself Very Seriously|Hampton Stevens|June 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sand on its namesake beach turns gray as the sun dips behind the Two Brothers, twin granite spires at the far side of the bay.
Rio’s Real-Life Slumdog Millionaires|Brandon Presser|June 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Why not have sought out the pure white lime-rocks of the flat country, or the grey granite of the hills?
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
On the opposite side of the stream, set back about thirty paces from the brink, stood a granite boulder.
Uncanny Tales|Various
The Piedmont also has a great variety of rocks, including granite and soapstone which are currently commercially important.
Hallowed Heritage: The Life of Virginia|Dorothy M. Torpey
It is protected by a stupendous granite breakwater, costing many millions and affording a delightful promenade on a fine day.
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car|Thomas D. Murphy
The hills of Mount Upstart are of primitive form, and were judged to be composed of granite.
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]|Phillip Parker King

British Dictionary definitions for granite

granite

/ (ˈɡrænɪt) /

noun

a light-coloured coarse-grained acid plutonic igneous rock consisting of quartz, feldspars, and such ferromagnesian minerals as biotite or hornblende: widely used for building

great hardness, endurance, or resolution

another name for a stone (def. 9)

Derived forms of granite

granite-like, adjectivegranitic (ɡrəˈnɪtɪk) or granitoid, adjective

Word Origin for granite

C17: from Italian granito grained, from granire to grain, from grano grain, from Latin grānum

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for granite

granite

[ grăn′ĭt ]

A usually light-colored, coarse-grained igneous rock consisting mostly of quartz, orthoclase feldspar, sodium-rich plagioclase feldspar, and micas. Quartz usually makes up 10 to 50 percent of the light-colored minerals in granite, with the remaining minerals consisting of the feldspars and muscovite. The darker minerals in granite are usually biotite and hornblende. Granite is one of the most common rocks in the crust of continents, and is formed by the slow, underground cooling of magma.

Cultural definitions for granite

granite

A relatively lightweight igneous rock that makes up most of the Earth's crust beneath the continents. (See basalt, plate tectonics, and tectonic plates.)

granite

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Origin of granite

OTHER WORDS FROM granite

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH granite

Words nearby granite

Other definitions for granite (2 of 2)

Origin of granité

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH granité

Words related to granite

How to use granite in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for granite

Derived forms of granite

Word Origin for granite

Scientific definitions for granite

Cultural definitions for granite