granite Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun plutonic igneous rock having visibly crystalline texture; generally composed of feldspar and mica and quartz
  2. noun something having the quality of granite (unyielding firmness)
    • a man of granite

WordNet

Gran"ite noun
Etymology
It. granito granite, adj., grainy, p. p. of granire to make grainy, fr. L. granum grain; cf. F. granit. See Grain.
Definitions
  1. (Geol.) 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 therefor in being destitute of a schistose structure. ✍ Varieties containing hornblende are common. See also the Note under Mica.

Webster 1913