Dictionary

granite en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɡɹæn.ɪt/
• (US) audio
• /ˈɡɹæn.aɪt/ (rare)

Etymology

From French granit (“granite”), from Italian granito (“granite”), from granire (“to granulate”), from grano (“grain”), from Latin grānum (“grain”). Compare granita.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) A group of igneous and plutonic rocks composed primarily of feldspar and quartz. Usually contains one or more dark minerals, which may be mica, pyroxene, or amphibole. Granite is quarried for building stone, road gravel, decorative stone, and tombstones. Common colors are gray, white, pink, and yellow-brown.
   • Many monuments sold in the US are crafted from granite produced in China, India and elsewhere overseas, while a lot of stone-working equipment comes from Europe. 2022 February 21, Tami Luhby, “Headstone makers struggle to serve grieving families as supply chain woes continue”, in CNN, archived from the original on 12 Jun 2025:
2. (figuratively, uncountable) Toughness; the quality of having a thick skin or being rough.
   • ‘Then the father has a great fight with his terrible conscience,’ said Munday with granite seriousness. ‘Should he make a row with the police […]? Or should he say nothing about it and condone brutality for fear of appearing in the newspapers? 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 18, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
   • The neighbor is eventually able to sell her home despite Homer’s pants-less affronts to propriety and decency and Bart falls deeply and instantly for one of its new inhabitants, a tough but charming and funny tomboy girl named Laura (voiced by Sara Gilbert) with just the right combination of toughness and sweetness, granite and honey. 2012 May 27, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “New Kid On The Block” (season 4, episode 8; originally aired 11/12/1992)”, in The Onion AV Club, archived from the original on 14 Aug 2012:

Forms

Deriveds

granitoid · bite on granite · microgranite · granitic · granitized · granitite · take for granite · leucogranite · granitisation · granitification · granitise · granitical · Granite City · Granite Flat · cumulogranite · Granite Bay · granodiorite · graniteware · Granite Falls · granitization · Graniteville · Granite County · granitize · plagiogranite · granite blue · granolith · monzogranite · granitiform · granite poison · granitelike · pregranitic

Hyponyms

syenite (rock)

Relateds

granodiorite · quartz · pegmatite · feldspar

Translations (83)

mr कणाश्म (type of rock) · pt granito (type of rock) · rsk ґранїт (type of rock) · uk грані́т (type of rock) · ar صَوَّان (type of rock) · acw قرانيت (type of rock) · ml കരിങ്കല്ല് (type of rock) · ca granit (type of rock) · lt granitas (type of rock) · id batu besi (type of rock) · cy gwenithfaen (type of rock) · ms granit (type of rock) · sv granit (type of rock) · eu granito (type of rock) · ru грани́т (type of rock) · nn granitt (type of rock) · tr granit (type of rock) · es granito (type of rock) · ro granit (type of rock) · id granit (type of rock) · pl granit (type of rock) · de Granit (type of rock) · da granit (type of rock) · kk гранит (type of rock) · egy U2:T-W7 (type of rock) · izh harmaakivi (type of rock) · eo granito (type of rock) · sh гра̀нӣт (type of rock) · ky гранит (type of rock) · be грані́т (type of rock) · io granito (type of rock) · gl pedra de gran (type of rock) · mn боржин чулуу (type of rock) · hi ग्रेनाइट (type of rock) · ka გრანიტი (type of rock) · mi tokapata (type of rock) · id batu kulansing (type of rock) · cmn 花崗岩 /花岗岩 (type of rock) · fr granite (type of rock) · ga eibhear (type of rock) · fa سنگ خارا (type of rock) · cy ithfaen (type of rock) · hy գրանիտ (type of rock) · lv granīts (type of rock) · et graniit (type of rock) · fa گرانیت (type of rock) · cs žula (type of rock) · hu gránit (type of rock) · yi גראַניט (type of rock) · ja 花崗岩 (type of rock) · sk žula (type of rock) · mk гранит (type of rock) · tl batumbesi (type of rock) · rm granit (type of rock) · az qranit (type of rock) · is granít (type of rock) · fy granyt (type of rock) · nb granitt (type of rock) · it granito (type of rock) · pms granì (type of rock) · el γρανίτης (type of rock) · mr ग्रॅनाइट (type of rock) · bg грани́т (type of rock) · vi đá hoa cương (type of rock) · tg хоро (type of rock) · fr granit (type of rock) · cmn 花崗石 /花岗石 (type of rock) · sk granit (type of rock) · tl tumbesi (type of rock) · mi ōnewa (type of rock) · alt гранит (type of rock) · es berroqueña (type of rock) · nl graniet (type of rock) · ar غْرَانِيت (type of rock) · ko 화강암 (type of rock) · sh granit (type of rock) · fi graniitti (type of rock) · lb Granit (type of rock) · izh granitta (type of rock) · sl granit (type of rock) · tg хоросанг (type of rock) · my နှမ်းဖတ်ကျောက် (type of rock) · gl granito (type of rock)