quartzite

American  

[kwawrt-sahyt] / ˈkwɔrt saɪt /

noun

1. a granular metamorphic rock consisting essentially of quartz in interlocking grains.

---

quartzite British  

/ ˈkwɔːtsaɪt /

noun

1. a very hard metamorphic rock consisting of a mosaic of intergrown quartz crystals

2. a white or grey sandstone composed of quartz

---

quartzite Scientific  

/ kwôrt′sīt′ /

1. A metamorphic rock consisting entirely of quartz. Quartzite forms when sandstone or chert are heated during metamorphism.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• quartzitic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of quartzite

First recorded in 1840–50; quartz + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

The process to make solar wafers starts with polysilicon, an ultrapure substance made from quartzite.

From Barron's • Nov. 7, 2025

“A chef’s kitchen, complete with quartzite countertops, custom cabinetry, and high-end appliances, adds contemporary flair,” the listing adds.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 10, 2025

Here, Hublin's team uncovered chips from flint tools and a quartzite flake consistent with the LRJ technocomplex.

From Science Daily • Jan. 31, 2024

Espen Finstad was trudging through mud in the Jotunheimen mountains of eastern Norway this month when he happened upon a wooden arrow, bound with a pointed tip made of quartzite.

From New York Times • Sep. 23, 2023

Ranofer, scrubbing away with sandstone at a chunk of quartzite, dared not glance around when Gebu paused beside a half-finished stone coffin only a few feet away from him.

From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw