grainy

Everyday

1. Grainy means having a rough texture with small bits or grains in it, like sand, or food that is not smooth. tree →
2. A grainy photo or video is not clear and looks spotty, made of tiny dots. tree →
3. Grainy bread or wood has a visible grain pattern. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons, grainy describes the texture of materials like sand or sugar. In everyday life, old or zoomed-in photos and security videos can be grainy, so it is hard to see faces. In stories, a grainy picture can be a clue that is hard to read.

Examples

• The old photo of Great-Grandma is grainy and faded. tree →
• The custard went grainy because it got too hot. tree →
• The video of the UFO was too grainy to prove anything. tree →
• This bread has a nice grainy texture. tree →
• The beach sand felt grainy between my toes. tree →
• When you zoom right in, the picture becomes grainy. tree →

Note

Comparative: grainier, grainiest (change y to i). Opposite for photos: sharp or clear; for food: smooth.