# mortar

/ˈmɔɹtɝ/ (US) · /mˈɔːtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mortar
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. building material

noun · CEFR B2

a mixture of sand, water, and cement used to stick bricks or stones together.

For teachers: a workable paste used to bind building blocks such as stones, bricks, and concrete masonry units together.

- The builder applied a fresh layer of mortar between the red bricks.
- The restoration team had to source a specific lime-based mortar to match the original eighteenth-century masonry of the cathedral walls.

### 2. grinding bowl

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a hard bowl used with a heavy tool called a pestle to crush spices or medicine into powder.

For teachers: a sturdy vessel in which substances are crushed or ground with a pestle.

- She used a stone mortar to grind the garlic and herbs into a paste.
- The pharmacist used a ceramic mortar and pestle to pulverise the tablets into a fine powder for the compound.

### 3. weapon

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a short, portable gun that fires explosive shells high into the air so they fall down on a target.

For teachers: a muzzle-loading indirect fire weapon that transmits recoil to a base plate and fires shells at high angles.

- The soldiers set up the mortar behind the hill to hide from the enemy.
- The infantry unit deployed a lightweight mortar to provide immediate indirect fire support during the mountain operation.

### 4. to attack with shells

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to attack a place using mortar weapons.

For teachers: to bombard a target with mortar shells. Transitive when used with a direct object.

- The enemy started to mortar the city at midnight.
- The retreating forces continued to mortar the bridgehead in an attempt to delay the advancing columns.

## Examples

- The builder applied fresh mortar between the red bricks.
- The old stone wall began to crumble because the mortar had washed away after years of heavy rain.
- Restoration experts must carefully match the chemical composition of the original lime mortar to ensure the structural integrity and historical accuracy of the cathedral's facade.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.