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grain
- Main Entry:
- 1grain
- Pronunciation:
-
\ˈgrān\
- Function:
- noun
- Etymology:
- Middle English, partly from Anglo-French grain cereal grain, from Latin granum; partly from Anglo-French graine seed, kermes, from Latin grana, plural of granum — more at corn
- Date:
- 14th century
1 a (1)obsolete : a single small hard seed (2): a seed or fruit of a cereal grass : caryopsis b: the seeds or fruits of various food plants including the cereal grasses and in commercial and statutory usage other plants (as the soybean) c: plants producing grain2 a (1): a small hard particle or crystal (2): any of the particles produced in a photographic material by its development; also : the size of such grains in the aggregate (3): an individual crystal in a metal b: a minute portion or particle c: the least amount possible <a grain of truth>3 a: kermes or a scarlet dye made from it b: cochineal or a brilliant scarlet dye made from it c: a fast dye darchaic : color, tint4 a: a granulated surface or appearance b: the outer or hair side of a skin or hide5: a unit of weight based on the weight of a grain of wheat taken as an average of the weight of grains from the middle of the ear — see weight table6 a: the stratification of the wood fibers in a piece of wood b: a texture due to constituent particles or fibers <the grain of a rock> c: the direction of threads in cloth7: tactile quality8 a: natural disposition : temper <lying goes against my grain> b: a basic or characteristic quality c: a prevalent ideology or convention <teaching against the grain>
— grained \ˈgrānd\ adjective — grain·less adjective
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