noun
quark
kwahk
noun
1
In particle physics, one of the fundamental building blocks that combine to form protons, neutrons, and similar particles.
"Protons are made up of three quarks."
"Scientists have never observed a single quark existing on its own."
2
A soft, mild, fresh cheese popular across central and northern Europe.
"She spread quark on her toast instead of cream cheese."
"The recipe calls for a cup of quark and some fresh herbs."
How to Use Quark
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a tiny particle inside atoms, or a soft European cheese — two unrelated meanings sharing one word.
Easily confused with
Word Forms
quarks plural, quarks plural
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Protons are made up of three _____.
Etymology
The physics sense was coined in 1963 by physicist Murray Gell-Mann, who later linked the spelling to a nonsense line in James Joyce's novel Finnegans Wake. The cheese sense comes separately from German Quark.