Grouts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of mortar used to fill gaps between tiles and provide a solid foundation for them
2. A substance that hardens to seal and strengthen the connections between floor or wall tiles
3. A material applied in construction to bind and protect ceramic or stone fixtures against moisture and dirt

Etymology: "Grouts" is simply the plural of "grout," so the story belongs to the singular. Grout is a noun, and it took its modern sense of a thin, fluid mixture of cement, sand and water used to fill joints from the older verb "to grout," meaning to fill up or to make something solid with such a mixture. The noun and verb are closely tied, and the plural form is used when referring to several applications or several kinds of the material.