Uncorking

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of pulling a cork from any sealed container in order to access what is contained within it
2. The action of taking a cork out from the opening of a bottle or container to allow access to its contents
3. A process involving pulling the cork stopper free from a bottle's neck to enable pouring or use of its interior

Etymology: "Uncorking" is the present participle of "uncork", which is formed from the prefix "un-" attached to "cork". The prefix "un-" is an Old English element meaning "reverse" or "undo", as in "untie" or "unlock", so "uncork" literally means to undo a corking, that is, to remove the stopper that was driven into a bottle or jar. The base word "cork" carries the more striking history. It comes from the Spanish and Portuguese "alcornoque", the cork oak, a word that itself derives from Arabic "al-qurq", the cork tree. The material was valued for its buoyancy and its ability to seal liquids, which is why it became the standard stopper for wine bottles. Here the "un-" is simply the ordinary English reversing prefix, attached to a noun, a pattern that lets English turn almost any sealing action into its opposite.

Synonyms: opening, unsealing