caulk

1 of 3

verb

ˈkȯk 

variants or calk

caulked or calked; caulking or calking; caulks or calks

transitive verb

: to stop up and make tight against leakage (something, such as a boat or its seams, the cracks in a window frame, or the joints of a pipe)

caulker noun

caulk

2 of 3

noun (1)

variants or calk or less commonly caulking or calking

ˈkȯ-kiŋ 

: material used to caulk

caulk

3 of 3

noun (2)

variant spelling of calk entry 2, calk entry 3

: a cleat on the shoe of a horse to prevent slipping

also : a similar device worn on the sole of a shoe

Examples of caulk in a Sentence

Verb

He carefully caulked the area around the windows.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Look out for gaps where caulking or sealant has pulled away from the window frame. —Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2025

Ensure that all your windows and doors are properly sealed and caulked, so no outside air is breezing in. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Jan. 2025

Noun

If your window has gaps larger than 1/2 inch, caulk may not work well. —Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Jan. 2025

Sealing gaps around doors and windows with caulk, weather stripping, and heavy drapes will help insulate the home and minimize heat loss as well, improving the efficiency of the furnace. —Joel Thayer, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English caulken, from Anglo-French cauker, calcher, chalcher to trample, from Latin calcare, from calc-, calx heel

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1954, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for caulk

• balk
• baulk
• bloc
• bock
• broch
• brock
• calk
• chalk
• chock
• clock
• cock
• croc

Kids Definition

caulk

verb

variants or calk

ˈkȯk

: to fill up a crack, seam, or joint so as to make it watertight

caulker noun