zerk

Z10E1R1K5
US/zɝk/UK/zɜːk/

noun

Any of a class of types of grease nipples, or an instance thereof; (usually, in current usage) any grease nipple.

Scrabble 17

Meanings

nounzerk (plural zerks)

plural zerks

  1. Any of a class of types of grease nipples, or an instance thereof; (usually, in current usage) any grease nipple.

    Figure 14.12 Wipe off the end of a zerk fitting before attaching the grease gun.

    2014, Tim Gilles, Automotive Service: Inspection, Maintenance, Repair, 5th edition, page 206
    2 more examples

    The moral is, if you don't keep grease in those zerks, you're going to be replacing some expensive parts. To grease through a zerk, you simply push the business end of a grease gun onto the zerk—it will pop right on with a little pressure—and work the handle until a bit of grease can be seen oozing out of the joint you are lubricating.

    2005, Roger Welsch, From Tinkering to Torquing, page 99

    A lot depends on which type of greaseable U-joint we are talking about. There are two basic types, those that have a zerk fitting at the center of the cross and those that are drilled but have the zerk in the cap. A tiny hole drilled down the center of a U-joint has no effect on strength but a zerk at the cross does.

    2007, Jim Allen, Jeep 4X4 Performance Handbook, page 97

Synonyms & antonyms

Origin

After Austrian-born American inventor Oscar U. Zerk.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with zerk

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Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

zerk. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zerk

MLA

“zerk.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zerk. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “zerk,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/zerk.

Source: zerk on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.