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Oakums

[oh-kuhm]

Origin

noun

loose fiber obtained by untwisting and picking apart old ropes, used for caulking the seams of ships.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English okome, Old English ācuma, variant of ācumba, literally, offcombings, equivalent to ā- separative prefix (see a-³) + -cumba (see comb¹)

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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Oakums is always a great word to know.

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a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.

a fool or simpleton; ninny.

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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

oakum

"loose fiber obtained from taking apart old hemp ropes," 1420s, from O.E. acumba "tow, oakum, flax fibers separated by combing," lit. "what is combed out," from a- "away, out, off" + stem of cemban "to comb," from camb "a comb;" from P.Gmc. *us-kambon, second element from PIE *gembh- "tooth, nail" (see

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Oakums

oa·kum