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.

---

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

See Examples For:

brick-and-mortar

According to Kuga, the trend should outlast the current period of inflation, as brick-and-mortar retailers seek new reasons to attract customers who are increasingly buying household products via Amazon subscriptions.

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026

Shoppers, particularly younger ones, are increasingly seeking products online through influencer ads rather than heading to brick-and-mortar shops.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

Comparable sales across the direct-to-consumer channel, including both brick-and-mortar and digital, were up 9.2%.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

I’d adapted when the Covid-19 pandemic closed our brick-and-mortar building and gave middle managers and commercial consultants more authority.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 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

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---