quarry

1 of 4

noun (1)

quar·​ry ˈkwȯr-ē 

ˈkwär-

plural quarries

1

: game

specifically : game hunted with hawks

2

: one that is sought or pursued : prey

3

obsolete : a heap of the game killed in a hunt

quarry

2 of 4

noun (2)

plural quarries

1

: an open excavation usually for obtaining building stone, slate, or limestone

2

: a rich source

quarry

3 of 4

verb

quarried; quarrying

transitive verb

1

: to dig or take from or as if from a quarry

quarry marble

2

: to make a quarry in

quarry a hill

intransitive verb

: to delve in or as if in a quarry

quarry

4 of 4

noun (3)

plural quarries

: a diamond-shaped pane of glass, stone, or tile

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• chase
• prey

Examples of quarry in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a hunter relentlessly tracking his quarry

Verb

an area where workers are quarrying for limestone

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

It was purchased in 1890 by brothers John and Alexander Laurie to tow vessels and barges, or scows filled with stone from nearby quarries, in Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay. —Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 21 Sep. 2024

The site is near an ancient quarry, two burial caves and the remains of a Roman-era farmstead. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2024

Verb

Whereas quartz countertops are man-made, granite is a naturally occurring stone, quarried from the earth, then cut and polished into the countertop material so many know and love. —Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 23 Oct. 2024

Later, while quarrying for stone to make wheels, Berbers cut an entrance through the other end of the rock, tapping into the natural cavern that extended more than 18 miles to the Sea of Gibraltar. —Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English quirre, querre entrails of game given to the hounds, from Anglo-French cureie, quereie, from quir, cuir skin, hide (on which the entrails were placed), from Latin corium — more at cuirass

Noun (2)

Middle English quarey, alteration of quarrere, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *quadraria, from Late Latin quadrus hewn (literally, squared) stone, from Latin quadrum square

Noun (3)

alteration of quarrel entry 1

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1774, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (3)

1537, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

quarry

1 of 3 noun

quar·​ry ˈkwȯr-ē 

ˈkwär-

plural quarries

1

: an animal hunted as game or prey

2

: something sought or chased after

quarry

2 of 3 noun

plural quarries

: an open pit usually for obtaining building stone, slate, or limestone

quarry

3 of 3 verb

quarried; quarrying

1

: to dig or take from or as if from a quarry

2

: to make a quarry in

quarrier noun

Etymology

Noun

Middle English querre "the part of a game animal given to the hounds," from early French cureie, quereie (same meaning), from cuir "skin, hide" (on which the animal parts were placed), from Latin corium (same meaning)

Noun

Middle English quarey, an altered form of quarrere "a place for digging stones for use in building," from Latin quadrus "hewn stone," literally, "squared stone," from Latin quadrum "a square"

Word Origin

The quarry a hunter chases is not related to the quarry that supplies building stones. The word for a hunter's quarry can be traced back to a ceremony that was once part of every successful hunt. The hounds used for chasing the game were rewarded after the kill by being allowed to eat part of the dead animal, which was given to them on a piece of hide. The French word for this hounds' share was cureie or quereie, which was borrowed into Middle English as querre. The word later came to be used for the live game animal itself. Now a quarry is anything that is pursued.