Quarry
/ˈkwɒr.i/noun
A place where stone, rock, or minerals are extracted from the ground.
Did you know?English quarry comes from a word for a hunted beast, ultimately from Latin corium, so the modern stone pit keeps the ghost of a chase in its history.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sker-
“to cut; to separate”
Latin
Latin
corium
“hide, skin, leather”
Old French
Old French
quarriere
“a quarry; a place where stone is cut out”
Middle English
English
quarrey
“a hunted beast; game”
Modern English
English
quarry
“a place where stone or other materials are extracted”
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