Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

oakum

/ˈoʊk(ə)m/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.51 in modern English

Syllables
oak-um
IPA
/ˈoʊk(ə)m/
11
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Coarse fibres separated by hackling from flax or hemp when preparing the latter for spinning.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

Fibres chiefly obtained by untwisting old rope, which are used to caulk or pack gaps between boards of wooden ships and joints in masonry and plumbing, and sometimes for dressing wounds.

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Late Middle English okom, okome (“oakum”) [and other forms], from Old English ācumba (“oakum”, literally “that which has been combed out, off-combings”) [and other forms], from ācemban (“to comb out”), from Proto-Germanic *uz- (from Proto-Indo-European *ud-s-, *ūd- (“out; up”), or *h₂ew- (“away from, off”)) + *kambijaną (“to comb”) (ultimately from *ǵómbʰos (“row of teeth; tooth; peg”), *ǵembʰ- (“nail; tooth; to gnaw through; to pierce”)). See also out and comb.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *h₂ew-, okom, ācumba, *uz-, *ud-s-

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈoʊk(ə)m/
  • British English: /ˈəʊkəm/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce oakum?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈoʊk(ə)m/.
What does oakum mean?
Coarse fibres separated by hackling from flax or hemp when preparing the latter for spinning.
Where does oakum come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce oakum

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “oakum”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈoʊk(ə)m/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “oakum”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “oakum” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.