Cork

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /kɔɹk/

Definitions

1. A lightweight and buoyant product sourced from the bark of specific trees, frequently used to seal bottles and also employed for insulation and flooring
2. This material, derived from certain types of trees, is known for its ability to waterproof and is often used in sealing vessels as well as providing cushioning in various applications
3. A natural material obtained from tree bark, commonly utilized for creating seals on bottles and serving as an effective insulator or cushion in various items

Etymology: Cork is one of those English words whose familiar sense is the least of its story. The Latin "cortex" meant bark, and English "cork" is a doublet of it: the same Latin word arrived by two separate routes. The Latin form passed into Spanish and Mozarabic (the Romance dialect of Iberia under Arabic rule), where it became "corcho," a name for the bark of the cork oak. From there the word travelled north, probably through Middle Dutch "curc," and entered English as "cork," meaning oak bark and the material made from it, by the Middle English period. The Spanish side had its own twist. Old Spanish "alcorque," a cork sole, is one of the forms the word may have come from, which ties the material to footwear as well as to bottles. Cork's first and most durable use was as a stopper, but the bark's lightness also made it suitable for soles, floats and, later, insulation and floors.

Synonyms: stopper, plug