grout

1 of 2

noun

ˈgrau̇t How to pronounce grout (audio)
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Pumice Stones, Magic Erasers, or Dryer Sheets Ceramic or porcelain sinks, tubs, toilets, and tiles (along with their grout) can be cleaned with a pumice stone, or scouring stick. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Nov. 2024 Apply the shaving cream around the toilet base and on surrounding grout. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2024
Verb
As with countertop tiles, don’t neglect the stains that stick to grout. —Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Oct. 2024 Here are the grouting mistakes to watch out for to avoid this fate. —Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for grout 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of grout was in 1638

Dictionary Entries Near grout

grouse locust

grout

groutite

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Grout.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grout. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on grout

Nglish: Translation of grout for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of grout for Arabic Speakers

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