quartz

[kwawrts]

noun

1. one of the commonest minerals, silicon dioxide, SiO 2 , having many varieties that differ in color, luster, etc., and occurring either in masses (as agate, bloodstone, chalcedony, jasper, etc.) or in crystals (as rock crystal, amethyst, citrine, etc.): the chief constituent of sand and sandstone, and an important constituent of many other rocks. It is piezoelectric and used to control the frequencies of radio transmitters.

quartz

/ kwɔːts /

noun

1. a colourless mineral often tinted by impurities, found in igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. It is used in the manufacture of glass, abrasives, and cement, and also as a gemstone; the violet-purple variety is amethyst, the brown variety is cairngorm, the yellow variety is citrine, and the pink variety is rose quartz. Composition: silicon dioxide. Formula: SiO 2 . Crystal structure: hexagonal

2. short for quartz glass

quartz

1. A hard, transparent trigonal mineral that, after feldspar, is the most common mineral on the surface of the Earth. It occurs as a component of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks as well as in a variety of other forms such as rock crystal, flint, and agate. Some crystalline forms, such as amethyst, are considered gemstones. Chemical formula: SiO ₂ .

Other Word Forms

• quartzose adjective
• quartzous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of quartz¹

First recorded in 1750–60, quartz is from the German word Quarz

Word History and Origins

Origin of quartz¹

C18: from German Quarz, of Slavic origin

Example Sentences

Inside the egg, a surprise awaits: a bouquet of flowers made of white quartz wood anemones, each flower with gold wire stem and stamens.

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Archaeologists have recovered thousands of clay-fired cooking balls and materials brought from faraway regions, such as quartz crystal from Arkansas, soapstone from the Atlanta area, and copper ornaments originating near the Great Lakes.

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The researchers measured the speed of soundwaves traveling through the treated quartz, then opened the cylinders and examined the samples using electron microscopy.

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Inside its granite layers, researchers discovered numerous grains of quartz marked by tiny structures known as planar deformation features.

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It avoided clay minerals entirely, tolerated quartz, but seemed to prefer titanium-rich grains -- an impressively strong choice for an ancient organism.

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