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 of granite

• decision
• determination
• decisiveness
• resolve

Examples of granite in a Sentence

had the granite to see the project out to the end

Recent Examples on the Web

El Capitan is a roughly 3,000-foot sheer granite wall — more than twice the height of the Empire State Building — in the northern valley of Yosemite National Park in California. —Melissa Gaffney, CBS News, 25 Jan. 2026

The dining area includes a granite breakfast bar right near a family room with a fireplace. —Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 24 Jan. 2026

The peak of Yosemite’s granite wall is higher than the tallest building in the world and requires climbers to navigate a maze of fissures, crevices and cracks. —Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026

This mountain range adds sharp granite spires to the Patagonian landscape, rising abruptly from the glaciers, lakes, and open plains surrounding it. —Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

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

Rhymes for granite

• gannet
• planet
• intranet
• pomegranate

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)