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

Crates filled with anti-tank missiles, mortars, and rockets—many marked with Russian export codes—provided evidence of a pipeline stretching from Moscow through Damascus, and directly into Hezbollah's hands. —Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025

Though the work of making the spice paste is traditionally done in a mortar and pestle, blitzing the ingredients in a food processor saves a significant amount of time. —Vicky Hallett, NPR, 1 Apr. 2025

Verb

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

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

Rhymes for mortar

• quarter
• shorter
• sorter
• colporteur
• exporter
• headquarter
• importer
• reporter
• supporter
• transporter

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