granite
/ˈɡrænɪt/
noun
Origin
Latin
granum — grain
Overview
Meaning Now
- A very hard, granular, igneous rock consisting mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar.
- Something that is exceptionally hard, durable, or unyielding.
Literal older meaning
grained rock
Language path
Latin → Italian → English
Earliest form
granito
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term was popularized in scientific circles in the 17th century to describe the visibly granular structure of the stone, contrasting with smoother or finer-grained rocks.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
granum
“seed, grain”
- Italian
granito
“grained (stone)”
Added suffix -ito indicating composition
- English
granite
“a type of igneous rock”
Adapted from the Italian term in the late 1600s
Connections
Word parts
gran-
root
grain
-ite
suffix
mineral or rock indicator
Related across languages
French
granit
granite
Italian
granito
granite
Spanish
granito
granite
Explore next
Related to granite
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.