Grain — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈgrān/

Meaning & Definition of Grain

Grain (noun)

  1. a single small hard seed
  2. a seed or fruit of a cereal grass, caryopsis
  3. the seeds or fruits of various food plants including the cereal grasses and in commercial and statutory usage other plants (such as the soybean)

Grain (verb)

  1. ingrain
  2. to form into grains, granulate
  3. to paint in imitation of the grain of wood or stone

Grain (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a very small piece

    "just give me a grain of information about what to expect on the program"

    similar: atom, bit, crumb, dribble, fleck, flyspeck, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, nugget, particle, patch, scrap, scruple, snip, snippet, speck, tittle
    related: ace, dab, dash, driblet, drop, fraction, haet (chiefly Scottish), halfpenny, ha'penny, iota, jot, kenning (chiefly Scottish), lick, minim, mite, modicum, nutshell, ounce, pinch, shred, smatter, smidgen, spot, strain, streak, suspicion, taste, touch, trace, whisper, whit, bite, mouthful, nibble, tidbit, fragment, part, portion, section, chip, flake, shard, shiver, sliver, splinter, clipping, paring, shaving, smithereens
    near: chunk, gob, hunk, lump, slab, abundance, barrel, bucket, bushel, deal, heaps, loads, mass, mountain, peck, pile, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, scads, stack, volume, wad, wealth

  2. one's characteristic attitude or mood

    "cheating, even on my income taxes, goes against my grain"

    similar: disposition, nature, temper, temperament
    related: cheer, frame, habit, humor, inclination, mode, spirit, angle, attitude, mind-set, outlook, perspective, slant, standpoint, viewpoint, emotion, feeling, heart, passion, sentiment, strain, belief, conviction, judgment, mind, notion, opinion, persuasion, view, expression, tone, vein, character, identity, individuality, makeup, mettle, personality, selfhood, self-identity, setup, responsiveness, sensibility, sensitiveness, sensitivity

Related Entry: With a grain of salt (phrase)

With a grain of salt is a different word from Grain. The synonyms below are for with a grain of salt, not for grain.

  1. with distrust

    "You have to take people's advice with a grain of salt, since what's right for some may not be right for others."

    similar: askance, distrustfully, doubtfully, doubtingly, dubiously, mistrustfully, sideways, skeptically, suspiciously
    related: hesitantly, hesitatingly, incredulously, questioningly, quizzically, unbelievingly, charily, guardedly, warily, captiously, critically, cynically, deprecatingly, disapprovingly, disparagingly, negatively, reproachfully, reproachingly, reprovingly, unfavorably, anxiously, apprehensively, uncomfortably, uneasily
    opposite: trustfully, trustingly
    near: approvingly, favorably, positively, confidently, sanguinely, credulously, uncritically, unquestioningly

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Grain

The most common words with a similar meaning to Grain:

atom, bit, crumb, dribble, fleck, flyspeck, granule, molecule, morsel, mote, nubbin, nugget, particle, patch, scrap, scruple, snip, snippet, speck, tittle, disposition, nature, temper, temperament

Related Words for Grain

ace, dab, dash, driblet, drop, fraction, haet, halfpenny, ha'penny, iota, jot, kenning, lick, minim, mite, modicum, nutshell, ounce, pinch, shred, smatter, smidgen, spot, strain, streak, suspicion, taste, touch, trace, whisper

Near Antonyms of Grain

chunk, gob, hunk, lump, slab, abundance, barrel, bucket, bushel, deal, heaps, loads, mass, mountain, peck, pile, pot, profusion, quantity, raft, scads, stack, volume, wad, wealth

Word Forms of Grain

Inflections: grained, graining, grains

Derived words: grained (adjective), grainless (adjective), grainer (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Grain

Middle English, partly from Anglo-French grain cereal grain, from Latin granum; partly from Anglo-French graine seed, kermes, from Latin grana, plural of granum corn

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Grain

Words & Phrases Containing Grain

grain alcohol, grain bowl, grain elevator, grain of salt, grain sorghum, edge-grain, pollen grain

Frequently Asked Questions about Grain

What does "Grain" mean?

"Grain" means a single small hard seed. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a single small hard seed. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Grain"?

Other words for "Grain" include atom, bit, crumb, dribble, fleck, flyspeck, granule and molecule. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Grain" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Grain"?

There are 117 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Grain". Common alternatives include atom, bit, crumb, dribble, fleck, flyspeck, granule, molecule, morsel and mote.

How do you use "Grain" in a sentence?

Examples of "Grain" in a sentence: "just give me a grain of information about what to expect on the program"; "cheating, even on my income taxes, goes against my grain".

Is "Grain" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Grain" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Grain" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Grain" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Grain"?

"Grain" is pronounced /ˈgrān/.

What is the origin of the word "Grain"?

"Grain" comes from Middle English, partly from Anglo-French grain cereal grain, from Latin granum; partly from Anglo-French graine seed, kermes, from Latin grana, plural of granum corn. First known use: 14th century.