grout

1 of 2

noun

ˈgrau̇t 

1

a

: thin mortar used for filling spaces (such as the joints in masonry)

also : any of various other materials (such as a mixture of cement and water or chemicals that solidify) used for a similar purpose

b

: plaster

2

: lees

grout

2 of 2

verb

grouted; grouting; grouts

transitive verb

1

: to fill up or finish with grout

2

: to fix in place by means of grout

grout a bolt into a wall

grouter noun

Examples of grout in a Sentence

Verb

I need to grout the bathroom tiles.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Additionally, if using this method on tile, ensure the grout is sealed so the vinegar doesn’t weaken it. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Oct. 2024

The area around the toilet bowl can be a chief source of yucky smells as they can get trapped within the grout and even around the base of the toilet. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024

Verb

Here are the grouting mistakes to watch out for to avoid this fate. —Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2024

Crews with the California Department of Transportation stabilized the remaining southbound lane and preserved the northbound lane by drilling, installing and grouting 40 vertical and 75 sub-horizontal rock dowels into the slope, according to the governor’s office. —Jason Green, The Mercury News, 14 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English grut, grout "crushed grain for malt, infused malt, thick, dark ale, mud, slime," going back to Old English grūt "coarse meal, dregs, spent malt after brewing," going back to Germanic *grūta- (whence also Middle Dutch grute, gruut "herb mixture used in beer brewing," Middle High German grūz "a grain, grain of sand"), lengthened zero grade noun derivative from *greutan- "to grind, crush" — more at grit entry 1

Note: Sense 1, which first appears in the seventeenth century, is of uncertain relation to the earlier senses and perhaps of independent origin. Oxford English Dictionary, first edition, suggests a connection to Middle French (Limousin) grouter "to rough-cast," Limousin Occitan greutā, but this isolated word, itself of unknown origin, is of unlikely relevance.

Verb

derivative of grout entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1