What does corkscrew mean?
A corkscrew is a small handheld tool designed to draw corks out of bottles, most typically wine bottles. It consists of a pointed metal spiral — called a worm — attached to a handle; the worm is twisted into the cork so it can be pulled free. By extension, 'corkscrew' also works as an adjective and a verb describing anything that twists or winds in a similar spiral fashion: a mountain road might descend in a corkscrew series of bends, or an aircraft might corkscrew downward through the air. The word is entirely ordinary in register, familiar to speakers on both sides of the Atlantic, and carries no strong connotations beyond its practical association with wine drinking. Its usefulness lies both in its precise everyday function and in the vivid figurative imagery it lends to descriptions of twisting, spiralling movement.
A device consisting of a spiral metal point attached to a handle, used to extract corks from bottles.
"Could you pass me the corkscrew?"
The spiral element is sometimes technically referred to as the 'worm'.
To twist or wind in a manner resembling the turning of a corkscrew.
"The fighter jet corkscrewed through the canyon."
Mostly used figuratively or descriptively for spiralling movement.
Standard regular plural.
"The kitchen drawer held three different corkscrews."
The humble corkscrew has been twisting wine from bottles for over three centuries — and its spiral design was inspired by the same principle that lets a drill bore into wood.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of corkscrew
Corkscrew is a compound of 'cork' — the bark of the cork oak tree, long used as a stopper for bottles — and 'screw', referring to the spiral metal thread that grips the cork. The word emerged in English in the late 17th century, coinciding with the growing popularity of glass wine bottles sealed with corks. The term is native to English rather than borrowed from another language, though the underlying technology spread across Europe during this period.
Related word forms
How corkscrew is actually used
The noun sense is by far the most common. The verb form appears mostly in descriptive or figurative contexts (e.g. 'the plane corkscrewed downward'). The word is neutral in register and common in everyday British and American English.
Easily confused with corkscrew
A screw is a fastener driven into material, while a corkscrew is specifically a tool for extracting bottle corks.