adjective
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of, like, containing, or resembling a granule or granules
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having a grainy or granulated surface
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of granular
Explanation
Something granular has a grainy texture. Granular sugar is the white kind you find in sugar bowls, and a sandy beach is very granular, too. Anything that's made of tiny bits like sand or grain can be called granular. In fact, it comes from the Latin word granum for "grain." Granular things can also be described as coarse and gritty. A smooth, shiny floor is the opposite of granular. When you see the word granular, think “grain of sand.” Or — “grain of sugar” if that’s more your style.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Almost as if in answer to fleeing production, an increasing number of high-profile television series have been showcasing Los Angeles on a granular level.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Sherif El-Gebaly, head of the Chemical Industries Chamber, told AFP granular urea has risen to $700–$750 per tonne, up from about $400 before the war.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Throughout the documentary, former players describe how Benitez's criticism and obsession with granular tactical detail sometimes jarred.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
Dow Jones Energy looks at granular data from gas stations themselves, and its data shows that in April gasoline demand in the U.S. was down more than 5% as compared with April 2025.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
Laila woke up, out of breath, with a taste of soil in her mouth, when the first granular lumps of dirt hit the plastic.
From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
