cork
UK[kɔːk]US[kɔːrk]
n
a light, buoyant material that comes from the thick bark of a type of oak tree.
n
a cylindrical piece of this material used as a stopper for a bottle.
v
to close or seal a bottle by putting a cork in it.
Etymology
the word 'cork' has a journey that traces back to the latin word 'cortex', which broadly meant 'bark' or 'rind' of a tree. this term passed into iberian romance languages, specifically spanish as 'corcho', referring to the bark of the cork oak. through maritime trade, the word was borrowed into dutch or low german as 'kurk' before entering middle english. the semantic focus narrowed from the general concept of tree bark to specifically denote the lightweight, elastic bark of the quercus suber tree, prized for its utility as a buoyant material and an effective bottle sealant.
Analysis
the word 'cork' is a simplex loanword. it entered english from dutch or low german 'kurk', which came from spanish 'corcho', from latin 'cortex' meaning 'bark, rind'. its functional role is as a complete lexical unit.
Examples
the floor was made of recycled cork tiles.
she struggled to pull the cork out of the wine bottle.
remember to cork the bottle tightly after use.