quarry
1[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]
/ ˈkwɔr i, ˈkwɒr i /
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noun, plural quar·ries.
an excavation or pit, usually open to the air, from which building stone, slate, or the like, is obtained by cutting, blasting, etc.
an abundant source or supply.
verb (used with object), quar·ried, quar·ry·ing.
to obtain (stone) from or as if from a quarry.
to make a quarry in.
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Origin of quarry
1First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun quarrei, quarey, quar(r)i, from Medieval Latin quareia, quarrea, quareria, from Old French quarriere, from unrecorded Vulgar Latin quadrāria “place where stone is squared,” derivative of Latin quadrāre “to square”
OTHER WORDS FROM quarry
quar·ri·a·ble, quar·ry·a·ble, adjectiveun·quar·ried, adjectiveWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH quarry
quarry , queryOther definitions for quarry (2 of 3)
quarry2
[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]
/ ˈkwɔr i, ˈkwɒr i /
noun, plural quar·ries.
an animal or bird hunted or pursued.
game, especially game hunted with hounds or hawks.
any object of search, pursuit, or attack.
Origin of quarry
2First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English quirre, querre, quirrei “parts of a deer given to the hounds,” from Old French cuiree, cuiriee, curee “viscera, entrails” (probably influenced by cuir “leather, hide, skin”), from Latin corium “skin, hide, leather”), from Late Latin corāta (plural) “entrails,” from cor “heart”
Other definitions for quarry (3 of 3)
quarry3
[ kwawr-ee, kwor-ee ]
/ ˈkwɔr i, ˈkwɒr i /
noun, plural quar·ries.
a square stone or tile.
Origin of quarry
3First recorded in 1535–45; noun use of obsolete adjective quarry “square,” from Old French quarre, from Latin quadrātus quadrate
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use quarry in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for quarry (1 of 3)
quarry1
/ (ˈkwɒrɪ) /
noun plural -ries
an open surface excavation for the extraction of building stone, slate, marble, etc, by drilling, blasting, or cutting
a copious source of something, esp information
verb -ries, -rying or -ried
to extract (stone, slate, etc) from or as if from a quarry
(tr) to excavate a quarry in
to obtain (something, esp information) diligently and laboriouslyhe was quarrying away in the reference library
Word Origin for quarry
C15: from Old French quarriere, from quarre (unattested) square-shaped stone, from Latin quadrāre to make square
British Dictionary definitions for quarry (2 of 3)
quarry2
/ (ˈkwɒrɪ) /
noun plural -ries
an animal, bird, or fish that is hunted, esp by other animals; prey
anything pursued or hunted
Word Origin for quarry
C14 quirre entrails offered to the hounds, from Old French cuirée what is placed on the hide, from cuir hide, from Latin corium leather; probably also influenced by Old French coree entrails, from Latin cor heart
British Dictionary definitions for quarry (3 of 3)
quarry3
/ (ˈkwɒrɪ) /
noun plural -ries
Word Origin for quarry
C16: from Old French quarré; see quarrel ²
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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