grains: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral
Quick answer
What does “grains” mean?
The small, hard, edible seeds of plants such as wheat, rice, or maize, often used as food.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The small, hard, edible seeds of plants such as wheat, rice, or maize, often used as food.
A small, hard particle of any substance (e.g., sand, salt); the smallest unit of weight; the natural arrangement of fibers in wood or rock; a very small amount of something abstract.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Wholegrains' is common in UK marketing; 'whole grains' is standard in US. The 'grain' as a unit of weight is largely archaic everywhere.
Connotations
In the UK, 'grain' can strongly evoke farming and the countryside. In the US, it is central to discussions of agriculture (Midwest) and dietary health.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “grains” in a Sentence
[subject] + contain + grains + of + [material][verb: sow/harvest/grind] + grainsgrains + of + [uncountable noun: sand/salt/truth]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grains” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The wood has been grained to look like oak.
- The salt grains the surface of the path in winter.
American English
- He grained the leather for a textured finish.
- The film was badly grained due to high ISO.
adverb
British English
- The wood was cut coarse-grained.
- (Rarely used)
American English
- (Rarely used)
- (Rarely used)
adjective
British English
- The grained texture of the paper was pleasing.
- A fine-grained sandstone was used.
American English
- Look for whole-grain bread at the store.
- The coarse-grained wood was easy to sand.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Commodity trading of grains like wheat and corn on futures markets.
Academic
Study of grain cultivation in Neolithic societies or the microstructure of metal grains in materials science.
Everyday
Choosing brown rice over white rice for more whole grains.
Technical
Measuring film sensitivity in grains per square millimetre (photography) or describing the grain boundary in metallurgy.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grains”
- Using a singular verb with plural 'grains' when referring to the collective category (*'This grains is healthy').
- Confusing 'grain' (material) with 'gram' (unit of weight).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is plural. The singular is 'grain'. However, when talking about the food category collectively (e.g., wheat, rice), 'grain' is often used uncountably ('Eat more grain').
In food contexts, they are often synonymous. 'Cereals' more specifically refers to grasses cultivated for their edible grains (wheat, rice, corn). 'Grains' can include seeds from non-grass plants like quinoa (a pseudocereal).
Yes. The 'grain' of wood refers to the direction, size, and arrangement of its fibres. You would say 'the wood has a beautiful grain', not typically 'grains' in this sense.
Use the pattern 'a grain of + [uncountable abstract noun]', e.g., 'a grain of truth', 'a grain of sense', 'a grain of decency'. It implies a very small, often insufficient, amount.
The small, hard, edible seeds of plants such as wheat, rice, or maize, often used as food.
Grains is usually neutral in register.
Grains: in British English it is pronounced /ɡreɪnz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡreɪnz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Against the grain (acting contrary to one's natural inclination)”
- “Take something with a grain of salt (to view with skepticism)”
- “A grain of truth (a small element of truth)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a TRAIN carrying nothing but tiny GRAINS of wheat.
Conceptual Metaphor
SMALL AMOUNT / UNIT IS A GRAIN (e.g., 'a grain of truth', 'a grain of sense').
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'to do something against the grain' mean?