Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having a coarse or not fine texture: Describes a material, substance, or structure where the constituent particles, grains, or fibers are relatively big, visible, or not finely divided.

Usage

The adjective "large-grained" is used to describe the physical texture of a material. It is typically placed before a noun or used after a linking verb like "is" or "seems." It is a compound adjective formed from "large" and "grained."

Examples

• Before a noun:
  • The carpenter selected a piece of large-grained oak for the rustic table.
  • We used large-grained salt to season the steak before grilling.
• After a linking verb:
  • This sand is too large-grained for the sandbox; it's not soft enough.
  • The wood from that tree is naturally large-grained.

Advanced Usage

• Comparative and Superlative Forms: "More large-grained" and "most large-grained" are used, though "coarser-grained" and "coarsest-grained" are more common synonyms for comparison.
  • This soil sample is more large-grained than the one from the riverbank.
• Technical/Scientific Context: Used in fields like geology, materials science, and cooking to specify texture.
  • The large-grained granite is less suitable for detailed carving.

Variants and Related Words

• Coarse-grained (adj): A very common synonym meaning having a rough or large texture.
  • Coarse-grained sugar is often used in baking.
• Fine-grained (adj): The direct antonym, meaning having a smooth, small, or fine texture.
  • For a smooth finish, use a fine-grained sandpaper.

Synonyms

• Coarse: Rough in texture.
• Gritty: Containing or resembling small, hard particles.
• Granular: Consisting of or appearing like grains.

Antonyms

• Fine-grained
• Smooth
• Powdery

Notes on Meaning

The meaning of "large-grained" is specific to physical texture. It does not describe size in a general sense (e.g., a large object) but specifically the size of the grains or particles within a material.

Adjective

1. not having a fine texture
   • coarse-grained wood
   • large-grained sand