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. astronomy another name for granulation

granule

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

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.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

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

Read more on 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.

Read more on Salon

She spends her morning crunching instant coffee granules, repeating Snoop Dogg’s daily affirmations, which she’s translated into Czech, and trying on outfits.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

So far, hundreds of millions of nurdles may have been cleared away - but the remaining, lentil-sized microplastic granules have become increasingly difficult to find as they disappear deeper into the sand.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• cereal 
• corn