quartz

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a hard glossy mineral consisting of silicon dioxide in crystal form

   Quartz has many industrial uses.

2. 2
   noun

   colorless glass made of almost pure silica

   Quartz is often used for watch faces.

3. 3
   noun

   The most abundant mineral on the earth's surface, of chemical composition silicon dioxide, SiO₂. It occurs in a variety of forms, both crystalline and amorphous. Found in every environment.

   The telescope and collimator have each an object-glass consisting of a single lens of quartz 1½ inch diameter and a focal length of 18½ inches for the sodium yellow light, but not more than 16 inches for the highest rays measured.

4. 4
   noun

   Crystal meth: methamphetamine hydrochloride.

From German Quarz, from Middle High German (Central East German) quarz, twarc, from a West Slavic language [compare Polish twardy (“hard”), Czech tvrdý (“hard”)], from Proto-Slavic *tvьrdъ ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *twerH- (“to enclose, grab”).

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