cork

1 of 2

noun

ˈkȯrk 

1

a

: the elastic tough outer tissue of the cork oak that is used especially for stoppers and insulation

b

: phellem

2

: a usually cork stopper for a bottle or jug

3

: a fishing float

cork

2 of 2

verb

corked; corking; corks

transitive verb

1

: to furnish or fit with cork or a cork

2

: to stop up with a cork

cork a bottle

3

: to blacken with burnt cork

corked faces

Examples of cork in a Sentence

Noun

the cork of a wine bottle

Verb

a corked bottle of wine

a player who has been accused of illegally corking his bats

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To make the place card, cut feathers from paper, and use a glue gun to attach them to a wine cork. —Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2023

Press the toothpick into the top center of the cork. —Rachelle Doorley, Parents, 16 Aug. 2023

Summer 2023 will not be remembered for Burning Man or Beyoncé concerts, but cork wedges. —Daniel Rodgers, Glamour, 6 Sep. 2023

Made from premium leather, a cork midsole that molds to your foot, and a studded rubber outsole that’s can be resoled, these boots are high-quality, but the price tag remains reasonable. —Joel Balsam, Travel + Leisure, 29 Aug. 2023

Here’s What New York Cool-Girl and Actor Hari Nef Wears in a Week Much like the orthopedic cork wedge beloved by Lily-Rose Depp and Katie Holmes, the Havaiana flip-flop is the latest anti-fashion shoe making its way back into the conversation. —Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2023

There is no certification system yet for cork fabrics, but Rainforest Alliance is attempting to certify cork forests in Spain and Portugal and certified its first cork forest in Morocco in 2007. —Gabriella Sotelo, Treehugger, 24 Aug. 2023

This low-top sneaker has vegan cork insoles, lightweight natural rubber outsoles, and a cotton canvas fabric, which all create a comfy fit that holds up for miles upon miles. —Claire Harmeyer, Peoplemag, 21 Aug. 2023

The maze was made of copper strips that are supported by glass rods inserted into the cork stoppers of glass bottles. —Alla Katsnelson, Discover Magazine, 17 Aug. 2023

Verb

Stubblefield bottled the sauce in old jam jars and Jack Daniel's bottles with the labels scraped off, corking them with a jalapeño. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2023

As the pressure rises, his brain jams downward through the only exit, corking bloodflow. —Oliver Broudy, Men's Health, 17 Aug. 2023

Cork Taint When a wine is described as corked, the culprit is something known as cork taint. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2023

Instead of corking up the pipes with too many silencers, Ferrari regulates sounds with bypass valves. —Mark Ewing, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023

Cork Taint When a wine is described as corked, the culprit is something known as cork taint. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2023

Moreover, fragments of plaque in large arteries can break away to cork smaller vessels downstream. —Tony Dajer, Discover Magazine, 27 Aug. 2019

And the bottle should be opened by turning the bottle itself, not to cork. —Dana McMahan, The Courier-Journal, 20 Sep. 2022

Then re-cork or cover the opening of the bottle and give it a little shake. —Amelia Goe, The Arizona Republic, 2 July 2021

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Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, cork, bark, probably from Middle Dutch *kurk or Middle Low German korck, from Old Spanish alcorque, ultimately from dialect Arabic qurq, from Latin quercus oak — more at fir

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cork

• cork oak
• cork cambium
• put a cork in it
• pop the cork

• cork oak
• cork cambium
• put a cork in it
• pop the cork

Kids Definition

cork

1 of 2 noun

ˈkȯ(ə)rk 

1

a

: the elastic tough outer tissue of the cork oak used especially for stoppers and insulation

b

: the tissue of a woody plant making up most of the bark and arising from an inner cambium

2

: a usually cork stopper for a bottle or jug

3

: a fishing float

cork

2 of 2 verb

1

: to furnish, fit, or seal with a cork

cork a bottle

2

: to blacken with burnt cork

corked faces

Geographical Definition

Cork

geographical name

ˈkȯrk 

1

county of southwestern Ireland in Munster bordering on the Celtic Sea area 2880 square miles (7459 square kilometers), population 399,802

2

city and port at head of Cork Harbor, Ireland population 198,582

Note: The city of Cork is the capital of the county of Cork.