Calk
/kɔːk/noun
A pointed metal spike or shoe fitted to a horse’s hoof or to a wheel or other surface for traction.
Did you know?Calk is a real English word with a long technical history, and its older sense is tied to making surfaces grip — the kind of practical magic that kept horses, ships, and wheels from slipping.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*kalhō-
“a spike or pointed projection”
Old English
OE
cealc
“a spike or calk for a shoe or wheel”
Middle English
ME
calk(e)
“a pointed shoeing spike or traction device”
Modern English
English
calk
“a pointed metal spike or traction fitting”