I am not a native speaker but how does your wife name the caulk in the shower? Silicone? Or do you maintain it in such pristine condition that no word was ever spoken about it?

I assume she calls it grout, like a normal person. ;D

Caulk and grout are different things. She calls the sandy stone stuff between the tiles the same thing as the rubbery bead in the corner?

If it were me, I'd call a rubbery bead in the corner "sealant".

Yeah, silicone or just sealant. Maybe it’s an Americanism.

I don't think so - wooden ships have been caulked to seal the planks for a long time.