Other

mortar1

Syllabification: (mor·tar)

Pronunciation: /ˈmôrtər/

Translate mortar | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish

Definition of mortar

noun

1a cup-shaped receptacle made of hard material, in which ingredients are crushed or ground, used especially in cooking or pharmacy:a mortar and pestle

2a short, smoothbore gun for firing shells (technically called bombs) at high angles.
a device used for firing a lifeline or firework.

verb

[with object]

attack or bombard with shells fired from a mortar.

Origin:

late Old English (mortar¹ (sense 2 of the noun)), from Old French mortier, from Latin mortarium (to which the English spelling was later assimilated)

mortar in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of mortar in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

More results for mortar

Subscriber login

Library card login