This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
chert
[ churt ]
/ tʃɜrt /
Save This Word!
This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
noun
a compact rock consisting essentially of microcrystalline quartz.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of chert
First recorded in 1670–80; origin uncertain
OTHER WORDS FROM chert
cherty, adjectiveWords nearby chert
cherry plum, cherry red, cherrystone, cherry tomato, chersonese, chert, Chertsey, cherub, cherubfish, cherubic, Cherubicon
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use chert in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for chert
chert
/ (tʃɜːt) /
noun
a microcrystalline form of silica usually occurring as bands or layers of pebbles in sedimentary rock. Formula: SiO 2 . Varieties include flint, lyddite (Lydian stone)Also called: hornstone
Derived forms of chert
cherty, adjectiveWord Origin for chert
C17: of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for chert
chert
[ chûrt ]
A hard, brittle sedimentary rock consisting of microcrystalline quartz. It is often reddish-brown to green but can also occur in a variety of other colors, especially white, pink, brown, or black. Chert often contains impurities such as calcium, iron-oxide, or the remains of silica-rich organisms. It usually occurs as nodules in limestone and dolomite and has curved fractures.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.