mortar
MAW-tuh
Mortar (noun) means a paste of sand, water and cement or lime used to bond bricks or stones together. Example: “The bricklayer spread a thin layer of mortar before setting each brick.”
noun
1
A paste of sand, water and cement or lime used to bond bricks or stones together.
"The bricklayer spread a thin layer of mortar before setting each brick."
"Years of rain had eaten away at the mortar between the stones."
"The wall needed fresh mortar because the old mix had crumbled away."
2
A small bowl used with a pestle to crush or grind ingredients.
"She ground the peppercorns in a stone mortar."
"The pharmacist mixed the powder using a mortar and pestle."
"He crushed the garlic with a pestle in a small marble mortar."
3
A short-barreled weapon that fires shells high into the air to hit targets at a steep angle.
"The camp came under mortar fire just before dawn."
"Soldiers set up the mortar behind the ridge."
"The army carried a mortar up the hill on the back of a truck."
verb
1
To attack a target by firing mortar shells at it.
"Enemy positions were mortared throughout the night."
"The base was mortared from across the river overnight."
"Gunners mortared the ridge for an hour before the advance."
How to use mortar
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe stuff that holds bricks together, a bowl for grinding, or a weapon that lobs shells — context makes it clear which.
Common pairings
mortar and pestle
bricks and mortar
mortar fire
mortar shell
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Word forms
- Plural
- mortars
- Third person singular
- mortars
- Past tense
- mortared
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The bricklayer spread a thin layer of _____ before setting each brick.
Etymology
From Old French mortier, from Latin mortarium — the same word originally covered both the grinding bowl and, later, the building paste and the weapon, all linked by the idea of "pounding" or "mixing".
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “mortar” mean?
The word “mortar” means a paste of sand, water and cement or lime used to bond bricks or stones together. In plain terms, the stuff that holds bricks together, a bowl for grinding, or a weapon that lobs shells — context makes it clear which.
How do you pronounce “mortar”?
“Mortar” is pronounced MAW-tuh (/ˈmɔːtə(ɹ)/ in IPA).
How do you use “mortar” in a sentence?
Here is “mortar” used in a sentence: “The bricklayer spread a thin layer of mortar before setting each brick.”
What part of speech is “mortar”?
Depending on how it is used, “mortar” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “mortar” come from?
The word “mortar” comes from Latin. From Old French mortier, from Latin mortarium — the same word originally covered both the grinding bowl and, later, the building paste and the weapon, all linked by the idea of "pounding" or "mixing".
Is “mortar” a common word?
“Mortar” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “mortar” have?
“Mortar” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a paste of sand, water and cement or lime used to bond bricks or stones together.
What is the difference between mortar and cement?
Cement is one ingredient used to make mortar, which is a paste of sand, water, and cement or lime used to bond bricks or stones together in construction. Cement alone is not typically used for bonding; it must be mixed with sand and water to form mortar.
What is the difference between a mortar and a pestle?
A mortar is the small bowl used to hold ingredients while a pestle is the tool used to crush or grind them inside it; the two are always used together as a pair, commonly called a mortar and pestle.
How is mortar used as a military term?
As a military term, mortar refers to a short-barreled weapon that fires shells high into the air to hit targets at a steep angle, and as a verb, to mortar means to attack a target by firing mortar shells at it.
