adjective

grainy

GRAY-nee

Grainy (adjective) means having a rough, granular texture, made up of small visible particles. Example: “The old photo was dark and grainy.”

adjective

Having a rough, granular texture, made up of small visible particles.

"The old photo was dark and grainy."

"The sauce turned out grainy because the sugar didn't fully dissolve."

How to Use Grainy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRough or coarse-textured, like tiny grains — often used for low-quality images or gritty food textures.

Common pairings

grainy photo grainy footage grainy texture

Word Forms

grainier comparative, grainiest superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “grainy” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old photo was dark and _____.

Etymology

From Middle English greyny, from grain plus the adjective suffix -y.

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for grainy

tiny miny shiny rainy spiny whiny Pliny briny brainy mutiny jiminy destiny

See all rhymes for grainy →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does “grainy” mean?

The word “grainy” means having a rough, granular texture, made up of small visible particles. In plain terms, rough or coarse-textured, like tiny grains — often used for low-quality images or gritty food textures.

How do you pronounce “grainy”?

“Grainy” is pronounced GRAY-nee (/ˈɡɹeɪni/ in IPA).

How do you use “grainy” in a sentence?

Here is “grainy” used in a sentence: “The old photo was dark and grainy.”

What part of speech is “grainy”?

“Grainy” is an adjective.

Where does the word “grainy” come from?

The word “grainy” comes from Middle English. From Middle English greyny, from grain plus the adjective suffix -y.