brick-and-mortar
Americanadjective
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pertaining to conventional stores, businesses, etc., having physical buildings and facilities, as opposed to internet or remote services.
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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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fifty food vendors span the diverse offerings of L.A.’s food scene, both of the brick and mortar and truck persuasion.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2025
TikTok said its live shopping was "like an extension of the brilliance of brick and mortar stores".
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2025
“I think in order to successfully run a brick and mortar space anymore, you really have to distill down to what your identity is,” said Irvington Vinyl & Books owner Elysia Smith.
From Salon • Oct. 5, 2024
The air from the blower drives the sealer deep into the brick and mortar.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024
It was amazing how fast brick and mortar that had appeared so sturdy could be taken apart and how quickly the process of putting it together again began.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
