ˈgranə̇t, usu -ə̇d.+V noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Italian granito, from past participle of granire to grain, granulate, from grano grain, from Latin granum — more at corn
1. : a natural igneous rock formation of visibly crystalline texture ; specifically : a usually flesh-red whitish or gray very hard and durable holocrystalline-granular plutonic igneous rock consisting essentially of quartz, orthoclase or microcline, a smaller amount of acid plagioclase, usually one or more members of the mica, amphibole, and less commonly pyroxene groups, and usually accessories (as apatite, zircon, magnetite, and occasionally topaz, tourmaline, garnet), the rock varying in texture from fine to very coarse and taking a fine polish — see aplite , graphic granite , pegmatite
2. : unyielding firmness or endurance
a man of granite , strong, able, and of inflexible integrity — H.S.Canby
the cold granite of Puritan formalism — V.L.Parrington
3.
[Italian granita ]
: granita
4. or granite gray : a purplish gray that is redder and slightly stronger than crane, darker than dove gray or cinder gray, and redder and deeper than zinc — called also metallic gray