granite

Granite is a type of rock that's commonly polished smooth and used for things like kitchen counters. Granite is dark and textured, with swirls of lighter colors.

Granite is such a popular material in kitchens, as well as memorial stones and statues, because it is very strong and can be polished to a high shine. It's sturdy enough that granite is also commonly used to construct tall buildings and to cover floors in commercial areas. The word comes from the Italian granito, which means "grained" and is rooted in the Latin word for "grain," granum.