quartz

noun

ˈkwȯrts 

1

: a mineral consisting of silicon dioxide occurring in colorless and transparent or colored hexagonal crystals or in crystalline masses

2

: a quartz crystal that when placed in an electric field oscillates at a constant frequency and is used to control devices which require precise regulation

a quartz watch

quartzose

ˈkwȯrt-ˌsōs 

adjective

Examples of quartz in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The kitchen has a quartz island with an overhang, quartz backsplashes and a butler’s pantry. — Saleema Syed, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026

Finished in black, it's equipped with a sink, a small fridge/freezer, a microwave, and a quartz counter. — New Atlas, 25 Oct. 2026

Non-porous materials like granite, marble, quartz, and solid-surface countertops aren’t ideal since paint doesn’t adhere to them well. — Farima Ferguson, The Spruce, 24 Oct. 2026

These silicon chunks are melted in bespoke crucibles made of the world’s purest quartz, virtually all of which is mined from a solitary deposit in the mountains of North Carolina. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

German Quarz

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing quartz

• fused quartz
• quartz glass
• quartz heater
• quartz-iodine lamp
• smoky quartz

Rhymes for quartz

• courts
• forts
• morts
• portes
• ports
• quarts
• schwarz
• shorts
• snorts
• sorts
• sports
• thwarts

Kids Definition

quartz

noun

ˈkwȯ(ə)rts 

: a common mineral consisting of silicon dioxide that is often found in the form of colorless transparent crystals but is sometimes (as in amethysts, agates, and jaspers) brightly colored

Medical Definition

quartz

noun

ˈkwȯ(ə)rts 

: a mineral SiO₂ consisting of a silica that occurs in colorless and transparent or colored hexagonal crystals and also in crystalline masses