An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A very hard, granular, → igneous rock of visibly crystalline texture consisting mainly of → quartz, → mica, and → feldspar that constitutes the bulk of the → continental crust.

See also: From Fr. granit(e) or directly from It. granito “granite,” originally “grained,” p.p. adj. from granire “granulate, make grainy,” from grano “grain,” from L. granum, → grain.