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 boutique— a meld of rusty reds and forest greens — blends the brand’s classic American West aesthetic with materials like leather, quartz, travertine, burlwood, and walnut. —Kate Donnelly, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025

During excavations at a site in Ukraine’s Southern Bug Valley, researchers discovered 24 ivory fragments, as well as artifacts made of flint and quartz. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Apr. 2025

Farnan recommends shopping quartz and granite for the best balance of cost and desirability. —Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Apr. 2025

Some attribute the difference to the dirt and climate, thanks to pink granite soils laced with silica, quartz, and iron oxide, and steady winds that limit disease pressure. —Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025

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