granularity

IPA/ˌɡrænjəˈlærəti/
IPA/ˌɡrænjəˈlerəti/

granularity — noun

1. how finely something is broken down into small separate parts, so you can see an

1.nounC1
Definition

how finely something is broken down into small separate parts, so you can see and work with very small pieces of it.

Example

Nicholas asked the team to add more granularity to the weekly sales report.

add granularity to [a report/data]

The new tracking tool offers far greater granularity than the old monthly summaries.

greater granularity than [a coarser source]

Common collocations
  • fine granularity
  • coarse granularity
  • the granularity of the data
Synonyms
  • detail

    everyday word; granularity stresses the size of the separate parts more

  • resolution

    common in tech contexts; how fine the smallest unit is

  • specificity

    focus on exactness rather than on how data is divided up

Antonyms
  • coarseness

    large, rough parts with little fine detail

Grammar Patterns

the granularity of [data/a report/a system]

Usage Note

Object is usually data, a report, a model, or a system. Often paired with comparatives such as 'greater', 'finer', 'higher', or 'lower' to describe how detailed the breakdown is.

Common Mistakes

The photo has good granularity.
The photo has good sharpness.
granularity is about how data or detail is split up, not how clear a picture looks.
a granularity
a high level of granularity
granularity is uncountable, so it takes no 'a' on its own.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These three words all describe how much small information something contains, but they fit different settings. 'Detail' is the everyday choice and simply means the small facts in a description or picture: 'the report gives plenty of detail.' 'Granularity' is more formal and technical, and it stresses the size of the separate units that something is broken into — fine granularity means many tiny parts, coarse granularity means a few large ones. 'Resolution' is common in computing and images, where it points to the smallest unit a screen or sensor can show. So you might say a camera has high resolution, a study has fine granularity, and an article has lots of detail. Choose 'granularity' when you are talking about how data, models, or systems are divided.

granularity ↗detail ↗resolution ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • granularity of the data
  • granularity of the analysis

Phrases

  • fine granularity
  • coarse granularity
  • level of granularity

Prepositions

  • granularity of

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Granularity grows from the Latin word 'granum', meaning a grain or seed. From this came 'granular', describing something made of many tiny grains, and adding '-ity' turned the adjective into a noun naming the quality itself. The image of countless small grains is still at the heart of the modern meaning: something granular is built from many little separate parts, and its granularity is how small and numerous those parts are.