grainy
/'greini/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Having a texture or appearance composed of or resembling small particles or grains: This describes a surface, substance, or image that is not smooth but instead appears to be made up of tiny, often rough, specks.
- Lacking clarity or sharpness, especially in a photograph or digital image, due to visible grain or noise: This specific usage refers to a visual imperfection where the image appears speckled or textured with small dots, often resulting from low light conditions, high film speed (ISO), or low image resolution.
Usage Examples
- Describing Texture:
- The sandpaper had a very grainy surface.
- The wood was not sanded properly, so it still felt grainy to the touch.
- Describing Visual Quality:
- The old film was digitized, making the picture look grainy and unclear.
- The security camera footage was too grainy to identify the suspect's face.
Advanced Usage
- "to be grainy": used to describe the perceived quality of a substance or image.
- The texture of the polenta should be grainy, not smooth like mashed potatoes.
- "grainy footage/photographs": a common collocation for describing low-quality visual media.
- The documentary used grainy archival footage to create a sense of historical authenticity.
Variants and Related Words
- Grain (n): a small, hard particle of a substance like sand, wheat, or salt; the texture or pattern of fibers in wood; the smallest unit in a photographic film that affects image clarity.
- The grain of the oak wood was very beautiful.
- Granular (adj): consisting of or resembling grains or granules; often used interchangeably with 'grainy' for texture, but can also mean something is analyzed in fine detail.
- The data report was very granular, showing every single transaction.
- Graininess (n): the quality or state of being grainy.
- The graininess of the photograph added to its vintage charm.
Synonyms
- Granular: having a grainy texture.
- Coarse: rough in texture, composed of large particles.
- Gritty: containing or resembling grit (small, hard particles).
- Speckled: covered with many small spots.
- Pixelated (for digital images): displaying visible pixels, often resulting in a blocky, unclear image (a related but distinct concept from 'grainy').
Antonyms
- Smooth: having an even and regular surface; free from roughness.
- Clear: (for images) sharp and well-defined; not blurry or obscured.
- Fine: consisting of very small particles; of high quality.
Related Phrases and Idioms
(Note: 'Grainy' itself is not typically used in phrasal verbs or common idioms. Its usage is primarily descriptive.) - To go against the grain: This idiom uses the related word "grain" (the natural direction of fibers in wood or a prevailing tendency). It means to act contrary to custom or one's natural inclination. - His decision to quit his stable job and travel went against the grain of his family's expectations.
Adjective
- composed of or covered with particles resembling meal in texture or consistency
- granular sugar
- the photographs were grainy and indistinct
- it left a mealy residue