granite

noun

gran·​ite ˈgra-nət 

1

: a very hard natural igneous rock formation of visibly crystalline texture formed essentially of quartz and orthoclase or microcline and used especially for building and for monuments

2

: unyielding firmness or endurance

the cold granite of Puritan formalism

—V. L. Parrington

granitelike

ˈgra-nət-ˌlīk 

adjective

granitic

gra-ˈni-tik 

adjective

granitoid

ˈgra-nə-ˌtȯid 

adjective

Synonyms

• decidedness
• decision
• decisiveness
• determination
• determinedness
• firmness
• purposefulness
• resoluteness
• resolution
• resolve
• stick-to-itiveness

Examples of granite in a Sentence

had the granite to see the project out to the end

Recent Examples on the Web

Their lives were modest and so were their graves, marked not with expensive granite but with wooden crosses or metal markers in the shape of traditional gravestones. —Maria Cramer, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025

The home had just been updated in 2024 with a new roof, replaced windows and granite. —Tj MacIas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Feb. 2025

But geology maps of the Riau islands show that they are dominated by granite, which is not an ideal rock type to preserve fossils. —Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025

And in the distance, marking its blue steps, The Vistula or the Dnieper on its bed of granite. —Czesław Miłosz, The Atlantic, 2 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian granito, from past participle of granire to granulate, from grano grain, from Latin granum

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

granite

noun

gran·​ite ˈgran-ət 

1

: a very hard rock that can be polished and is used in buildings and monuments

2

: unyielding firmness (as of character, will, or opinion)