quartzite
/ˈk(w)ɔɹtˌsaɪt/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.45 in modern English
27
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
2
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A metamorphic rock from sandstone, consisting of interlocking grains of quartz.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Following the course of the river from New Ulm to Fort Ridgely, there are several exposures of reddish-brown “granite” or quartzites, which has been quarried in a few places, but I do not feel entirely sure of its connection with the rocks in the prairie or at the Ferry below."
- "The stone experimented upon being of the hardest and toughest kind the effect is not seen for several strokes ; but within two minutes, during which the writer watched the experiment, a steel chisel was completely blunted and rendered useless, and there was a hole made about two inches deep in the mass of quartzite placed to operate upon."
- "Granites of the usual type, compact reddish or greyish quartz-felsite or rhyolite alternate one with another. A mica-trap is also found. Evidently this is an extension of the last group of rocks. A specimen of epidotic quartzite proves that there are, at any rate, some indications of the metamorphic series."
Etymology
Etymology tree English quartz Proto-Indo-European *-tósder. Ancient Greek -της (-tēs)der. Ancient Greek -ῑ́της (-ī́tēs)der. Latin -ītēslbor. French -iteder. English -ite English quartzite From quartz + -ite.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈk(w)ɔɹtˌsaɪt/
- British English: /ˈk(w)ɔːtˌsaɪt/