# quartz

> English word · Noun · IPA /k(w)ɔːts/ · frequency rank #11,275

## Definitions
1. 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.
2. Crystal meth: methamphetamine hydrochloride.

## Etymology
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”).

## Easily confused with
- **quark** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/quark-vs-quartz)
- **quart** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/quart-vs-quartz)
- **quant** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/quant-vs-quartz)
- **quarry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/quarry-vs-quartz)
- **quarter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/quarter-vs-quartz)
- **quartet** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/quartet-vs-quartz)

## Common misspellings (9)
`qaurtz`, `qquartz`, `quarrtz`, `quarttz`, `quartzz`, `quarzt`, `quatrz`, `quratz`, `uqartz`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/quartz