Grain Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

🌾

Add to dictionary

grain

[ɡreɪn ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

food

A small, hard seed, especially the seed of a food plant such as wheat, corn, oats, rice, or certain other crops.

Synonyms

cereal, kernel, seed.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
grain	Use in a general sense when referring to small, hard particles that are used for food or fodder. Also used in various contexts such as describing the texture of a surface. Farmers harvest the grain in the fall. The grain of the wood gives it a unique appearance.
seed	Used when talking about the reproductive part of a plant that can grow into a new plant. Also used metaphorically to describe the beginning of an idea or plan. We planted seeds in the garden last spring. The lecture planted the seed of curiosity in her mind.
cereal	Specifically used when talking about breakfast foods made from grains, such as oats, wheat, corn, etc. It can also refer to the plants from which these foods are derived. I have cereal with milk every morning. Wheat is a common type of cereal grown in many countries.
kernel	Refers to the softer, usually edible part of a seed, fruit stone, or nut. Often used when talking about corn or nutshells. Each kernel of corn is tasty and sweet. She cracked open the nut and ate the kernel inside.

Examples of usage

Whole grains are an important source of nutrition.
Quinoa is a nutritious grain that is gluten-free.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

measurement

A unit of weight equal to 1/7000th of a pound.

Synonyms

carat, dram, scruple.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
grain	Often used to describe small, hard particles like seeds of cereal plants or a tiny amount of a substance. It can also refer to the texture of wood or fabric. She added a grain of salt to the mixture. The table has a beautiful wood grain.
scruple	Refers to a tiny measure of weight in the apothecaries' system, but more commonly used to describe a feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality of an action. She has no scruples about lying to get what she wants. He weighed the ingredients in scruples.
carat	Used to measure the weight of gemstones, especially diamonds. It can also indicate the purity of gold. The ring features a one-carat diamond. The necklace is made of 24-carat gold.
dram	A small unit of weight, commonly used in apothecaries' weight systems. It can also refer to a small drink of spirits. The medicine was measured in drams. He poured himself a dram of whiskey.

Examples of usage

The gold was measured in grains.
The medication was given in grains.

^{Context #3 | Noun}

texture

A small, hard particle of a substance, such as sand or salt.

Synonyms

granule, particle, speck.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
grain	Used in agriculture to refer to crops like wheat, corn, and rice. Also refers to food products made from these crops. Farmers harvested the grain in the fall. Whole grain bread is considered healthier than white bread.
particle	Commonly used in scientific and everyday contexts to refer to very small pieces or portions of a substance. Dust particles floated in the sunlight. They studied the behavior of subatomic particles.
speck	Generally refers to a very tiny spot or mark, often difficult to see. Sometimes used metaphorically to describe something insignificant. There was a speck of dirt on the window. In the vast universe, Earth is just a speck.
granule	Often used in scientific or technical contexts to describe tiny, grain-like particles, usually uniform in size. The detergent comes in the form of granules. Salt granules were scattered across the table.

Examples of usage

The beach was covered in fine grains of sand.
The salt crystals formed grains in the dish.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'grain'

The word 'grain' originated from the Old English word 'grein' which meant a seed or a single particle. Over time, the meaning expanded to include various types of seeds, especially those used as food. In the Middle Ages, 'grain' was also used as a unit of measurement for weight. Today, 'grain' is widely used to refer to small, hard seeds and particles of various substances.

See also: graininess, grains, grainy, ingrain.

Word Frequency Rank

This word ranks #1,772, placing it within important intermediate vocabulary. Learning it will significantly improve your ability to express yourself in English.

...
1769 advice
1770 expansion
1771 western
1772 grain
1773 document
1774 block
1775 ships
...