granule

[ gran-yool ]

noun

1. a little grain.
2. a small particle; pellet.
3. a corpuscle; sporule.

granule

/ 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. See granulation
   astronomy another name for granulation

granule

/ 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.

Word History and Origins

Origin of granule¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of granule¹

C17: from Late Latin grānulum a small grain

Example Sentences

The moisture ensures their exteriors are tacky so the granules adhere—a trick that all but guarantees none of them stick to one another.

From Popular-Science

Food particles extracted from crusty deposits on the teeth of ancient hunter-gatherers contained starch granules and cell structures typical of regional wild cereal species.

From Science News

Each starch granule ranges from 40 to 50 microns in diameter, which Takhistov says is about the thickness of human hair.

From Popular-Science

Residue from the inner surface of one tube, near its tapered tip, contains barley starch granules, cereal particles from a wild or domesticated plant and a pollen grain from a lime tree, the scientists report in the February Antiquity.

From Science News

Once the discarded sheets of asphalt are cleaned of construction debris, they’re cut into 4-inch squares and two carpet beater-like machines remove any grippy granules that may degrade the quality of the mix.

From Popular-Science

It is lobate in form and is divided by lines into areas in each of which a deeply-stained granule is situated.

From Project Gutenberg

This is an extremely small granule, on the very limit of visibility, the chemical composition of which is not known very well.

From Project Gutenberg

This granule is the water bottle drained to the last drop, is the nurse's breast emptied of all its contents.

From Project Gutenberg

With intense dry heat, as in toasting, the granule expands and opens, and the contents change to dextrin.

From Project Gutenberg

The ovum destined to become a new creature, is originally only a cell with a contained granule.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cereal
• corn