corky

adjective

ˈkȯr-kē 

corkier; corkiest

1

: resembling cork

2

: having an unpleasant odor and taste (as from a tainted cork)

corky wine

corkiness

ˈkȯr-kē-nəs 

noun

Examples of corky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other variants tile the lenses of insect eyes and form corky plate patterns in the elephant’s foot plant. — Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Scientific American, 5 Jan. 2026

An early step in leaf senescence is formation of what’s called the abscission layer — a corky layer of cells that forms where the leaf petiole eventually detaches from the branch. — Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Nov. 2025

Cork is harvested using a sustainable technique that carefully removes the corky exterior bark in strips while allowing the trees to keep on growing. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2025

Those structures usually have a bark covering, which is built up from a corky material. — Tim MacWelch, Outdoor Life, 19 Mar. 2021

Normally, human spotters walk citrus groves looking for leaves with tell-tale green-and-yellow blotches, yellow shoots or corky leaf veins. — Stephanie Pain, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Sep. 2020

Fruit may form a layer of corky tissue or be russeted if exposed to cold when young. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, 21 July 2015

Wondering about the medical implications of being born a corky dobber? — Sharon Moalem, Discover Magazine, 15 Apr. 2014

Word History

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for corky

• porky

Kids Definition

corky

adjective

ˈkȯr-kē 

corkier; corkiest

: resembling cork especially in dry porous quality