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

At the same time, inexpensive and highly accurate Japanese quartz watches had plunged the Swiss industry into crisis. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026

Gua sha uses flat blunt tools, often pink quartz, to press and scrape across the skin to relieve muscle tension and boost blood circulation, according to L’Oréal Paris. — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026

The janitor resumed snapping at the bushes with her shears—tiny, clear quartz beads scattered. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026

The Duchess of Edinburgh even got hands-on experience shaping and polishing a quartz gemstone. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 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