the spongy layer of bark of the cork oak, used for making a wide range of products, including bottle stoppers, beverage coasters, fishing rod handles, bulletin boards, sound and heat insulation, and flooring materials.
something made of cork, as produced from the spongy bark of the cork oak.
Bring that cork in here—we’re using it as a dartboard.
a piece of cork, rubber, or the like used as a stopper, as for a bottle.
The cork you gave me is too large for this jug.
Angling. a small float to buoy up a fishing line or to indicate that a fish is biting.
When the cork starts bobbing, you’ve got a fish!
Also called phellem, suber. Botany. an outer tissue of bark produced by and exterior to the phellogen.
to stop with or as if with a cork (often followed byup ).
The bottles are mechanically corked, two dozen at a time.
Cork these up and put them back in the cooler.
to provide or fit with cork or a cork.
They’re tiling floors and corking walls in her new studio.
to blacken with burnt cork.
During war games, they learned to cork their faces when operating under moonlight.
a county in Munster province, in S Republic of Ireland. 2,881 sq. mi. (7,460 sq. km).
a seaport in and the county seat of Cork, in the S part.
the thick light porous outer bark of the cork oak, used widely as an insulator and for stoppers for bottles, casks, etc
a piece of cork or other material used as a stopper
an angling float
Also called: phellem. botany a protective layer of dead impermeable cells on the outside of the stems and roots of woody plants, produced by the outer layer of the cork cambium
to stop up (a bottle, cask, etc) with or as if with a cork; fit with a cork
(often foll by up) to restrain
to cork up the emotions
to black (the face, hands, etc) with burnt cork
a county of SW Republic of Ireland, in Munster province: crossed by ridges of low mountains; scenic coastline. County town: Cork. Pop: 447 829 (2002). Area: 7459 sq km (2880 sq miles)
a city and port in S Republic of Ireland, county town of Co Cork, at the mouth of the River Lee: seat of the University College of Cork (1849). Pop: 186 239 (2002)
The outermost layer of tissue in woody plants that is resistant to the passage of water vapor and gases and that becomes the bark. Cork is secondary tissue, formed on the outside of the tissue layer known as cork cambium. The cell walls of cork cells contain suberin. Once they mature, cork cells die.
Also called phellem
The lightweight, elastic outer bark of the cork oak, which grows near the Mediterranean Sea. Cork is used for bottle stoppers, insulation, and other products.
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English cork(e), of disputed origin; perhaps via Dutch or German from Old Spanish alcorque “cork shoe,” ultimately from dialectal Arabic qurq, perhaps from Latin quercus “oak” ( see also fir ( def. )); alternatively, instead from Spanish corcho, from Mozarabic, from Latin cortex “bark” ( see cortex ( def. ))
Cork is a lightweight material made from the bark of a particular kind of oak tree. Cork is used in all sorts of ways, from flooring to fishing rod handles to bulletin boards. When cork bark is harvested from a cork oak tree, it doesn't harm the tree itself — this quality is part of what makes cork a useful, renewable material. It shows up in shoes, insulation, wall tiles, and badminton shuttlecocks, as well as bottle stoppers, which are also called corks. The word is from the Spanish alcorque, "cork-soled sandal," which ultimately comes from the Latin name for the cork oak tree, quercus.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After the spray of resignations, fury and anger a month ago following Labour's calamitous election results, the Makerfield by-election campaign had put a temporary cork in the bottle of the party's dissent.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
One might even stop to see a factory of cork wine-stoppers in action.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
But she fell on a cab double cork 1080, which she had stomped in her first two runs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 12, 2026
The two countries constitute a geographical cork on Central Asia’s westward trade routes and pipelines.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026
There were several champagne bottles in the room, I suppose for the refreshment of Morton—and as I entered the room a cork popped with a dreadful noise, and I made for the door terrified.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Researchers at APC Microbiome Ireland, a leading research center at University College Cork, have taken a major step toward understanding how coffee benefits the body.
From Science Daily ● May 3, 2026
The idea of a jazz festival had been in the works for a long time with its origins being traced back to the opposite end of the island during a trip to Cork.
From BBC ● May 1, 2026
Protesters also blockaded fuel sites in Cork, Limerick and Galway.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2026
Some of the stolen notes were later found in Cork.
From BBC ● Mar. 21, 2026
“He was jus tryin’ get home,” Cork said softly.
From "The Boy in the Black Suit" by Jason Reynolds
Some winemakers place microchips under labels and corks that detect bottle tampering.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
Hollywood stars embraced and champagne corks popped at this year's Oscars nominee lunch, the glamorous pre-show gathering that was canceled amid last year's devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
From Barron's ● Feb. 11, 2026
There was no champagne, or popping of corks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2024
"They were hoping to pop the champagne corks and be toasting a completely unarguable success," she told BBC News.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2024
She unscrewed the cap—no corks here—sipped, and handed it to me.
From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green
When the priceless liquid is poured, the group is horrified by the odor: The wine is corked.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
There are various types of flips that have unique names that don't spell out exactly what the trick contains - including wildcat, tamedog, backflip, frontflip, rodeo, backside rodeo and corked spin.
From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2026
PCC has great customer service; I purchased this Bordeaux at its Green Lake branch and was able to return the corked bottle at its Central District branch, no questions asked.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 4, 2024
A chemical compound in the cork can cause a corked wine to taste musty or moldy, like wet cardboard.
From New York Times ● Dec. 30, 2021
My jean pockets corked with a crusty hanky to foil the pickpockets, I waded along the high street.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
“It’s always been part of the game,” he said, “just like hitters have always been corking their bats.”
From Washington Post ● Dec. 1, 2022
The warts on their outside are called "corking," as horticulturalist Jessica Walliser said on WNYC.
From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2022
There was corking the bat, spitballs, grease balls, Vaseline balls, baseball tampering, steroids, gambling and more that don’t come to mind right now.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 21, 2020
Andy Murray opened this set, and dammit, he’s going to close it, again teeing up his big brother for a volley with a corking first serve.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 19, 2015
Forty-plus boys nervously corking in laughter are still quite loud.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
