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

In 2019, when he bought the building that would house Quirky, he was nearing 60 years old, finally making his way back to brick-and-mortar.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Walmart on February 3 overtook the $1 trillion valuation marker, a rare occurrence for a brick-and-mortar legacy company that began as a family store in Arkansas in 1962.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

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

From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026

Bob’s currently operates just over 200 brick-and-mortar stores in 26 states, and the company is aiming to grow its footprint to more than 500 locations over the next decade.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 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