Psammite (Greek Psammos, Sand) is a general term for a sandstone, most often used to describe a metamorphosed rock unit with a dominantly sandstone protolith. An alternative term, more commonly used for unmetamorphosed sediments, is arenite (adj arenaceous). Pettijohn gives the following descriptive terms based on grain size, avoiding the use of terms such as "clay" or "argillaceous" which carry an implication of chemical composition:
| Texture | Common | Greek | Latin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coarse | Gravel(ly) | Psephite (psephitic) | Rudite (rudaceous) |
| Medium | Sand(y) | Psammite (psammitic) | Arenite (arenaceous) |
| Fine | Clay(ey) | Pelite (pelitic) | Lutite (lutaceous) |