Oakums

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of coarse fiber, often from hemp or jute, used for caulking or sealing joints in wooden ships and structures
2. Coarse strands derived from plant fibers, traditionally utilized in shipbuilding to secure wooden seams against water leaks
3. Fibrous material typically made from hemp or jute, valued for its ability to fill gaps in woodwork, particularly in maritime applications

Etymology: "Oakum" is a plural-looking form in the question, but the base word is "oakum," the name for the loose, tarred fiber pushed into the seams between ship planks. Its name is literally a description of how it is made: Old English "ācumba" meant "that which has been combed out, off-combings," from "ācemban," "to comb out." Old English speakers were naming the fibers that fell away when hemp or flax was combed, not the caulking material itself. The word's parts are "out" and "comb." The prefix comes from a Germanic element meaning "out" or "up," and the second element is related to "kambijaną," "to comb." Both trace back to ancient roots meaning something like "tooth" or "to pierce," so the modern word still carries the idea of combing fibers loose from a mass.

Synonyms: hemp fiber, caulking fiber