English · Word Candidate

mortar

/ˈmɔːtə(ɹ)/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: mortars · mortaring · mortared

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A mixture of lime or cement, sand and water used for bonding building blocks.

Noun

Examples

The holy hearth! If any earthly and material thing, or rather a divine idea embodied in brick and mortar, might be supposed to possess the permanence of moral truth, it was this.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A hollow vessel used to pound, crush, rub, grind or mix ingredients with a pestle.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To use mortar or plaster to join two things together.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

To pound in a mortar.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “mortar” mean?

A mixture of lime or cement, sand and water used for bonding building blocks.

Is “mortar” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.