granule

American  

[gran-yool] / ˈgræn yul /

noun

1. a little grain.

2. a small particle; pellet.

3. a corpuscle; sporule.

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granule British  

/ ˈɡrænjuːl /

noun

1. a small grain

2. geology a single rock fragment in gravel, smaller than a pebble but larger than a sand grain

3. astronomy another name for granulation

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granule Scientific  

/ grăn′yo̅o̅l /

1. A rock or mineral fragment larger than a sand grain and smaller than a pebble. Granules have a diameter between 2 and 4 mm (0.08 and 0.16 in) and are often rounded.

2. Any of the small, transient convective cells within the Sun's photosphere where hot gases rise and quickly dissipate. Granules are generally between a few hundred and 1,500 km in width. They completely cover the Sun's surface, giving it its characteristic grainy or stippled look, and form and break up within a matter of minutes.

3. An aggregate of enclosed grainy matter found in a cell. Granulocytes, mast cells and other cells contain granules in their cytoplasm, which differ in size and can often be identified by a characteristic laboratory stain based on their composition. Granules produce and store biologically active substances, the release of which is called degranulation. The granules of granulocytes contain mostly multiple enzymes and other proteins; those of mast cells contain histamine and other chemical mediators.

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Etymology

Origin of granule

First recorded in 1645–55, granule is from the Late Latin word grānulum small grain. See grain, -ule

Example Sentences

Ventura Foods said it issued the recall after one of its ingredient suppliers recalled a batch of onion granules that the company had used n some of its dressings.

From Los Angeles Times

Machines strip the insulation material off the copper, then use blades to chop and shred it into granules a few millimeters long, sometimes known as ‘copper chops.’

From The Wall Street Journal

Developed by the Lumière brothers, the miraculous process involved a glass plate dusted with potato-starch granules, microscopic in size, dyed red-orange, green and blue-violet.

From The Wall Street Journal

Subjects took a sachet of granules once a day for three days.

From The Wall Street Journal

Even though you can activate active dry yeast in milk, certain milk enzymes and proteins can inhibit the individual yeast granules, which contain almost a skin or coating.

From Salon

Related Words

• cereal
• corn