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Definition of quark

quark

/kwɑːrk/
quark
Plural:quarks
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quark Lexical Profile

quark Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Any of a group of fundamental subatomic particles that interact via the strong force and combine to form composite particles called hadrons, such as protons and neutrons.

Example

"A standard proton is composed of two up quarks and one down quark held together by gluons."

2

A type of fresh, unaged, and generally low-fat dairy product made by warming soured milk until it coagulates, traditionally popular in Central and Eastern Europe.

Example

"For an authentic German-style cheesecake, it is best to use quark rather than standard American cream cheese."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for quark

• Rhymes for quark

• Nearby Words

quantum
quanzhou
quarantine
quark
quarrel
quarreler
quarrelsome

Word Origin & Etymology

The physics term was coined in 1963 by physicist Murray Gell-Mann, adopting the word from James Joyce's novel 'Finnegans Wake' ("Three quarks for Muster Mark!"). The dairy product name derives from German 'Quark', which entered Middle High German from West Slavic languages (e.g., Polish 'twaróg'), ultimately from a Proto-Slavic root meaning 'to form'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Quark. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 11, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/quark
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