brick-and-mortar

American  

[brik-uhn-mawr-ter] / ˈbrɪk ənˈmɔr tər /

Also bricks-and-mortar

adjective

1. pertaining to conventional stores, businesses, etc., having physical buildings and facilities, as opposed to internet or remote services.

2. made of bricks and mortar.

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Etymology

Origin of brick-and-mortar

First recorded in 1860–65 brick-and-mortar for def. 2; brick-and-mortar def. 1 in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Retail outposts, brick-and-mortar food joints, and text-based media have not been thriving sectors for a while now, but they’ve been especially shellacked in the weird post-pandemic economy.

From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026

And for 88 years, Damburger — now operating out of a squat brick-and-mortar restaurant in downtown Redding — has dished out what is, according to its official motto, “the best hamburger by a dam site.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

However, CEO Tom Reeg indicated that the brick-and-mortar operating environment appeared stable.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

Nagi explains that not all of the centres are brick-and-mortar classrooms.

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

There was nothing left but a charred brick-and-mortar shell, roof gone and gutted from the inside.

From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah