granite

IPA/ˈɡrænɪt/
KK[ɡrˈænət]IPA/ˈɡrænɪt/

granite — noun

1. a hard natural stone with small shiny crystals in it, usually light grey or pink

1.nounB2
Definition

a hard natural stone with small shiny crystals in it, usually light grey or pink in colour, that is cut and used for making buildings, kitchen worktops, and monuments.

Example

Rafael installed new granite worktops in the kitchen before selling the house.

collocation: granite worktops

The old bridge was built from local granite and has lasted over two hundred years.

passive: be built from granite

Common collocations
  • granite worktop
  • granite countertop
  • granite surface
  • granite slab
  • granite quarry
  • granite monument
  • polished granite
  • local granite
Synonyms
  • stone

    a broader term; granite is one specific kind of stone

  • rock

    even broader; granite is an igneous rock, but 'rock' is used in everyday speech for any hard natural material from the ground

  • marble

    a different type of stone that is softer and has veins rather than crystals; often confused with granite in kitchen design

Usage Note

Usually uncountable when referring to the material in general ("a countertop made of granite"). When countable, it means a specific type or variety ("different granites are used for different purposes").

Common Mistakes

The monument is made by granite.
The monument is made of granite.
use 'of' not 'by' after 'made' when stating the material.
a granite' (when referring to the general material).
granite' (uncountable) or 'a type of granite
the material is uncountable in general use.

2. the quality of being extremely strong and determined in character, so that nothi

2.nounC1
Definition

the quality of being extremely strong and determined in character, so that nothing can change or weaken a person's attitude or beliefs — like the rock itself.

Example

Ife faced the hostile questions with granite composure and refused to be rattled.

figurative: granite composure

The coach's granite determination inspired the team to keep training through the winter.

figurative: granite determination

Common collocations
  • granite will
  • granite determination
  • granite resolve
  • granite composure
  • granite stance
Synonyms
  • resolve

    focuses more on determination to achieve a goal; less metaphorical than 'granite'

  • fortitude

    suggests patient endurance of hardship; more about suffering than about firmness

  • tenacity

    emphasises refusing to give up; 'granite' adds a sense of being unaffected by external pressure

  • steel

    similar figurative use (nerves of steel); 'granite' implies heaviness and immovability, while 'steel' suggests sharpness and strength

Antonyms
  • weakness

    granite implies unyielding strength; weakness is its direct opposite

  • flexibility

    granite suggests rigidity; flexibility means the ability to bend or adapt

Grammar Patterns

granite + noun (will, determination, resolve, composure, stance)

Usage Note

This is a figurative or metaphorical extension of the literal meaning. It appears most often before abstract nouns such as will, determination, resolve, composure, and stance. It is not used in everyday conversation; it belongs to formal or literary registers. The standalone construction 'something granite about [person/thing]' is less common but acceptable.

Common Mistakes

His will was granite.
He had a granite will.' or 'His will was as hard as granite.
'granite' is not normally used as a predicate adjective; it typically modifies a noun directly or appears in a simile.

Word family

  • granitic
    adjectiveC1
  • granitoid
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words name natural materials used in construction and design, but they differ in hardness, appearance, and typical use. Granite is the hardest of the group, with a visibly grainy or crystalline texture caused by slow cooling of magma underground. Stone is the broadest term — it can refer to any hard, non-metallic mineral material, from pebbles to cut building blocks. Rock is even more general than stone in geology (any naturally occurring solid mineral mass), but in everyday speech, 'rock' and 'stone' overlap. Marble is a metamorphic rock that forms when limestone is subjected to heat and pressure; it is softer than granite, develops vein patterns rather than crystals, and is more commonly used for indoor sculptures and luxury floors. Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock that splits easily into thin sheets, making it popular for roofing tiles and chalkboards. For a kitchen worktop that resists scratching and heat, granite is the practical choice; marble would stain and scratch more easily, while slate is too brittle for a horizontal surface.

stone ↗rock ↗marble ↗slate ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • made of granite
  • carved from granite
  • as hard as granite

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinItalianFrenchEnglish

Granite entered English in the 17th century from Italian 'granito', meaning 'grained', because the stone has a visible granular texture made of interlocking mineral crystals. The Italian word comes from Latin 'granum' (grain or seed). The name originally described the appearance rather than the geological composition of the rock.