Wiktionary

granite

See also: Granite and granité

English

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Etymology

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

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈɡɹæn.ɪt/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • (rare) IPA(key): /ˈɡɹæn.aɪt/
  • Rhymes: -ænɪt

Noun

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granite (countable and uncountable, plural granites)

  1. (petrology) 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.
  2. (uncountable, figurative) Toughness; the quality of having a thick skin or being rough.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 18, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
      ‘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?
    • 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[1]:
      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.

Hyponyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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Anagrams

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Italian

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Noun

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granite f

  1. plural of granita

Anagrams

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