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Origin and history of granite

granite(n.)

1640s, from French granit(e) (17c.) or directly from Italian granito "granite," originally "grained," past-participle adjective from granire "granulate, make grainy," from grano "grain," from Latin granum "grain" (from PIE root *gre-no- "grain"). In reference to the appearance of the rock. Used figuratively for "hardness" (of the heart, head, etc.) from 1839. New Hampshire, U.S., has been the Granite State at least since 1825.

also from 1640s

Entries linking to granite

granitic(adj.)

1749, from granite + -ic.

*gre-no-

*grÉ™-no-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "grain."

It might form all or part of: corn (n.1); filigree; garner; garnet; grain; granary; grange; granger; granite; granular; granule; grenade; grenadine; kernel; pomegranate.

It might also be the source of: Latin granum "seed," Old Church Slavonic zruno "grain," Lithuanian žirnis "pea," Old English corn.

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    The extra t is an arbitrary addition in various technical senses, from a lawn-tennis to a granite set....
    silicon
    nonmetallic element, 1817, coined by British chemist Thomas Thomson from silica (silicon dioxide), from which it was isolated. The name is patterned on carbon, etc. Silicon chip is attested from 1965; Silicon Valley for the Santa Clara Valley near San Francisco is attested by 197
    is
    third person singular present indicative of be, Old English is, from Germanic stem *es- (source also of Old High German, German, Gothic ist, Old Norse es, er), from PIE *es-ti- (source also of Sanskrit asti, Greek esti, Latin est, Lithuanian esti, Old Church Slavonic jesti), thir
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    late 14c., "observation as the source of knowledge; actual observation; an event which has affected one," from Old French esperience "experiment, proof, experience" (13c.), from Latin experientia "a trial, proof, experiment; knowledge gained by repeated trials," from experientem
    addict
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    conservative
    late 14c., conservatyf, "tending to preserve or protect, preservative, having the power to keep whole or safe," from Old French conservatif, from Medieval Latin conservativus, from Latin conservatus, past participle of conservare "to keep, preserve, keep intact, guard," from assi
    primitive
    late 14c., primitif, "of an original cause; of a thing from which something is derived; not secondary" (a sense now associated with primary), from Old French primitif "very first, original" (14c.) and directly from Latin primitivus "first or earliest of its kind," from primitus "
    tribulation
    "a state of affliction or oppression, suffering, distress," c. 1200, from Old French tribulacion (12c.), from Church Latin tribulationem (nominative tribulatio) "distress, trouble, affliction," noun of action from past-participle stem of tribulare "to oppress, afflict," a figurat
    Caucasian
    1807, of or pertaining to the Caucasus Mountains (q.v.), with -ian. Applied to the "white" race 1795 (in Latin) by German anthropologist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752-1840), who in his pioneering treatise on anthropology distinguished mankind into five races: Mongolian, Ethio
    fairy
    c. 1300, fairie, "the country or home of supernatural or legendary creatures; fairyland," also "something incredible or fictitious," from Old French faerie "land of fairies, meeting of fairies; enchantment, magic, witchcraft, sorcery" (12c.), from fae "fay," from Latin fata "the

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