mortar

1 of 3

noun (1)

mor·​tar ˈmȯr-tər 

1

: a sturdy vessel in which material is pounded or rubbed with a pestle

crushed the seeds in a mortar

2

[Middle French mortier]

a

: a portable muzzle-loading weapon having a tube short in relation to its caliber (see caliber sense 2b) that is used to throw bombs at high angles

mortars fired at the enemy positions

b

: any of several similar firing devices

Illustration of mortar

• M mortar
• P pestle

mortar

2 of 3

noun (2)

: a plastic building material (such as a mixture of cement, lime, or gypsum plaster with sand and water) that hardens and is used in masonry or plastering

mortarless adjective

mortar

3 of 3

verb

mortared; mortaring; mortars

transitive verb

: to plaster or make fast with mortar

Examples of mortar in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In general, commercial sales over $14 million, and sales of military-grade weaponry like mortars or missiles, require State Department approval and congressional notification. —Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2023

As Russian forces target troop locations and strike civilian infrastructure with artillery fire, mortar rounds and aerial bombs, the Ukrainians are digging into positions in the woods and on the sides of roads — and striking back. —Serhii Korolchuk, Washington Post, 22 Aug. 2023

To the mortar, add the chiles, garlic, and shallot and pound until bruised. —Saveur Editors, Saveur, 10 Aug. 2023

Rojo chimichurri, an herb sauce, is made fresh at the table with a mortar and pestle. —Erin Couch, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2023

For a complete, 387-square-foot home that was constructed, roughly 8% of the sand in concrete and mortar overall could be swapped out for diaper shreds–about 1.7 cubic meters of waste repurposed rather than being dumped straight into a landfill. —Carolyn Barber, Fortune, 13 July 2023

Since the conflict started, mobs have taken more than 4,900 weapons and 600,000 rounds of ammunition—including mortars, machine guns, and AK-47s—from Manipur’s stockpiles. —Sushant Singh, Foreign Affairs, 4 Sep. 2023

Unlike many other vendors on street, Mr. Gonzalez wants the brick and mortar. —Susan Hartman Todd Heisler, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2023

Step 2 To the mortar, add the green beans and tomatoes and lightly pound to extract their juices. —Saveur Editors, Saveur, 10 Aug. 2023

Verb

Their homes, mortared with mud and topped with straw, are vulnerable to rain. —Xanthe Scharff, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 July 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English morter, from Old English mortere & Anglo-French mortier, from Latin mortarium

Noun (2)

Middle English morter, from Anglo-French morter, mortier, from Latin mortarium

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing mortar

• brick-and-mortar
• bricks-and-mortar

• brick-and-mortar
• bricks-and-mortar

Kids Definition

mortar

1 of 2 noun

mor·​tar ˈmȯrt-ər 

1

: a strong deep bowl in which substances are pounded or crushed with a pestle

2

: a short muzzle-loading cannon used to fire shells at a low speed and at high angles

mortar

2 of 2 noun

: a building material made of lime and cement mixed with sand and water that is spread between bricks or stones so as to hold them together when it hardens

mortar verb

Medical Definition

mortar

noun

mor·​tar ˈmȯrt-ər 

: a strong vessel in which material is pounded or rubbed with a pestle