Caulk
/kɔːk/noun
To fill or seal a gap or joint with a waterproof material.
Did you know?Caulk comes through Old French from Latin *calcare*, “to tread down” or “stamp,” so the word’s oldest sense is basically about crushing material into place until it seals.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kal-
“to strike, stamp, or press”
Latin
Latin
calcare
“to tread down, press, stamp”
Late Latin / Old French
Latin / Old French
calquer / cauquer
“to press tightly, pack, or wedge in”
Middle English
English
cauken
“to fill seams of a ship with oakum or similar material”
Modern English
English
caulk
“to seal a gap or joint to make it airtight or watertight”
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