[gran.ite] n [It granito, fr. pp. of granire to granulate, fr. grano grain, fr. L granum] (1646) 1: a very hard natural igneous rock formation of visibly crystalline texture formed essentially of quartz and orthoclase or microcline and used esp. for building and for monuments
2: unyielding firmness or endurance "the cold ~ of Puritan formalism --V. L. Parrington" -- gran.ite.like adj -- gra.nit.ic adj -- gran.it.oid adj