granulation

American  

[gran-yuh-ley-shuhn] / ˌgræn jəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of granulating.

2. a granulated condition.

3. any of the grains of a granulated surface.

4. Pathology.

   1. the formation of granulation tissue, especially in healing.

   2. granulation tissue.

5. Astronomy. one of the small, short-lived features of the sun's surface that in the aggregate give it a mottled appearance when viewed with a telescope.

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granulation British  

/ ˌɡrænjʊˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of granulating

2. a granulated texture or surface

3. a single bump or grain in such a surface

4. See granulation tissue

5. Also: granule.  astronomy any of numerous bright regions (approximate diameter 900 km) having a fine granular structure that can appear briefly on any part of the sun's surface

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Etymology

Origin of granulation

First recorded in 1606–15; granule + -ation

Explanation

The process of forming tiny particles is granulation. It's granulation that results in fine specks of sugar that are perfect for sprinkling on your buttered toast with cinnamon. Breaking things down into small grains — or building larger grains from a powder — is what granulation is all about. It's a form of processing, whether it's salt or sugar, medicines in a pharmacy, or chemicals in a lab. There's also the granulation of sand on a beach, which happens over years as large stones are slowly broken down into smaller particles, or grains of sand.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

granulation

The comparison is fitting because granulation is produced by moving plasma.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Together, they create the Sun's granulation, a constantly changing pattern that resembles bubbles in a boiling liquid.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Other notes: Relying on a coil-spring suspension rather than an air suspension, the Revero’s ride quality has a bit more granulation than some luxury supersedans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2025

The visit to the Victoria and Albert certainly had that effect, especially the jewelry rooms and one particular ancient gold Etruscan bowl decorated with an esoteric technique called granulation.

From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2022

Another variety, the verruca acuminata, sometimes erroneously denominated epithelial cancers, are irregularly shaped elevations, tufted or club shaped, occasionally existing as thick, short, fleshy excrescences, giving the growth the appearance of granulation tissue.

From Special Report on Diseases of Cattle by United States. Bureau of Animal Industry