Definition of granite Granite

/gɹæˈnʌt/ - [granut] - gran•ite

We found 9 definitions of granite from 7 different sources.

What does granite mean?

Noun Plural: granites
granite - plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz
		batholite, batholith, pluton, plutonic rock large mass of intrusive igneous rock believed to have solidified deep within the earth
granite - something having the quality of granite (unyielding firmness); "a man of granite"
		steadiness, firmness the quality of being steady--regular and unvarying

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granite (Noun)
A group of igneous and plutonic rocks composed primarily of feldspar and quartz. Usually contains one or more dark minerals, which may be mica, pyroxene, or amphibole. Granite is quarried for building stone, road gravel, decorative stone, and tombstones. Common colors are gray, white, pink, and yellow-brown.
granite (Noun)
Toughness; the quality of having a thick skin or being rough.

granite (n.)
A crystalline, granular rock, consisting of quartz, feldspar, and mica, and usually of a whitish, grayish, or flesh-red color. It differs from gneiss in not having the mica in planes, and therefore in being destitute of a schistose structure.

granite
A rock consisting essentially of crystals of feldspar and mica in a mass of quartz.

granite
gran′it, n. an igneous crystalline rock, composed of grains of quartz, feldspar, and mica, and of a whitish, grayish, or reddish colour.—adj. Granit′ic, pertaining to, consisting of, or like granite.—n. Granitificā′tion.—adjs. Granit′iform, Gran′itoid, of the form of or resembling granite; Granolith′ic, composed of cement formed of pounded granite. [It. granito, granite, lit. grained—L. granum, grain.]

Granite is a kind of igneous rock, which means that it came from volcanic action inside the Earth. Granite is made from magma. Magma is molten (very hot, melted) rock and minerals. The magma is forced between other layers of rock by the pressure under the Earth's surface. The magma cools and turns slowly into solid stone. Granite has many different types of minerals in it. These include quartz, feldspar, mica, and hornblende. As the magma cools, some of these minerals form crystals. The crystals can often be seen easily, if the granite is cut and polished.

Granite is a common stone on Earth, and makes up a big part of the crust (the Earth's outer layer). Although it forms under the surface of the Earth, there are many places where it has been forced upwards by tectonic movement. This is the cracking and folding of the Earth's crust. When this happens, granite mountains are often formed.

Granite is a very useful rock for building. It is good for making solid walls. It is also good for polishing, because it can have a shiny surface which shows the pattern of its crystals. Kitchen benches are often made of polished granite. Granite is found in many countries of the world. Some countries have beautifully patterned granite which is quarried (cut in open mines) and sold for building material.