chert

[ churt ]

/ tʃɜrt /

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noun

a compact rock consisting essentially of microcrystalline quartz.

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Origin of chert

First recorded in 1670–80; origin uncertain

OTHER WORDS FROM chert

cherty, adjective

Words nearby chert

cherry-red spot, cherry-red spot myoclonus syndrome, cherrystone, cherry tomato, chersonese, chert, Chertsey, cherub, cherubfish, cherubic, Cherubicon

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use chert in a sentence

The water was ice-cold and filtered through the chert and limestone of the country and tasted as though civilization was still something in the future.
Sebastian Junger on Walking America’s Railroads|Sebastian Junger|May 19, 2021|Outside Online
To other chert samples, they added sulfur-containing “biomorphs,” spheres and filaments made of tiny crystals but shaped like bacteria.
Fossil mimics may be more common in ancient rocks than actual fossils|Carolyn Gramling|February 9, 2021|Science News
Cosmidis, Nims and colleagues added sulfur-containing bacteria called Thiothrix to solidifying chert to see what might happen during actual fossilization.
Fossil mimics may be more common in ancient rocks than actual fossils|Carolyn Gramling|February 9, 2021|Science News
And because the place where they made fires was found, these mountains are called Aw-up Chert-taw to this day.
Aw-Aw-Tam Indian Nights|J. William Lloyd

Most examples from this area are made from Ft. Payne chert, which is usually patinated to a chocolate brown color.
Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I Point Types|James W. Cambron
Points were made from Ft. Payne chert, Bangor nodular flint, jasper or other local materials.
Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I Point Types|James W. Cambron
Some examples made of Ft. Payne chert show considerable patination.
Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I Point Types|James W. Cambron
Most examples are made of Ft. Payne chert but other local materials were also used.
Handbook of Alabama Archaeology: Part I Point Types|James W. Cambron

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, adjective

Word 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.