körnige

Körnige is a German adjective meaning grainy or granular. It describes surfaces, textures, or images that show visible grains, particles, or a rough, sandy appearance rather than a smooth finish. The word is derived from Korn (grain) plus the common adjectival suffix -ig.

In use, körnig spans several disciplines. In geology and materials science, terms like körnige Struktur or körnige Gesteinsschicht refer to textures composed of discrete grains. In photography and film, a körnige image or film grain denotes visible grain or noise, often arising from film stock, sensor characteristics, or high ISO settings. In food and culinary contexts, a körnige Konsistenz describes a coarse, grainy texture in soups, sauces, or ground products.

The form körnige is one inflected form of the adjective; the ending changes with the grammatical gender, number, and article of the noun it modifies. For example, körnige Oberfläche describes a grainy surface, while körnige Oberflächen would describe multiple grainy surfaces. In English, the term is typically translated as grainy, gritty, or granular, depending on context.

See also

- Körnung (grain size, granularity)

- Körner (grains/grains of texture)

- Grain (in English-language technical contexts)