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

She was supposed to inhabit a temple of black granite, its walls engraved with scientific formulas and the names of great English writers. —Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024

Swim and sun amidst granite boulders the size of buildings at The Baths, one of the most popular and recognizable destinations in the British Virgin Islands. —Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2024

Smooth granite, rich wood, and polished marble draw on natural elements to ground the design, while the arch rises like a timeless monument to the earth's cycles. —Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024

Our ship, the Queen Anne, is sandwiched on both sides by towering walls of granite, soaring up to 6,500 feet tall and plunging over 4,000 feet beneath the water’s surface. —Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Dec. 2024

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)