mortise

[ mawr-tis ]

/ ˈmɔr tɪs /

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See synonyms for: mortise / mortised / mortising on Thesaurus.com

noun

a notch, hole, groove, or slot made in a piece of wood or the like to receive a tenon of the same dimensions.

a deep recess cut into wood for any of several other purposes, as for receiving a mortise lock.

Printing. a space cut out of a plate, especially for the insertion of type or another plate.

verb (used with object), mor·tised, mor·tis·ing.

to secure with a mortise and tenon

to cut or form a mortise in (a piece of wood or the like).

to join securely.

Printing.

to cut metal from (a plate).
to cut out metal from a plate and insert (new material) in its place.

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Also mor·tice .

Origin of mortise

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English morteys, mortaise, from Anglo-French mortais(e),Old French mortoise; of obscure origin

OTHER WORDS FROM mortise

mor·tis·er, noun

Words nearby mortise

mortiferous, mortification, mortified, mortify, Mortimer, mortise, mortise block, mortise chisel, mortise joint, mortise lock, mortling

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mortise in a sentence

Instead, posts and beams were fitted together with mortise and tenon joints.
This might be Washington’s oldest house, but it came from New England|John Kelly|November 28, 2020|Washington Post
The supporting standard is constructed of oak, with mortise-and-tenon joints, as shown in Fig. 4.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
The glue must be applied immediately after the tenon is removed from the water, and then inserted in the mortise.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
The end of the tenon and the mortise is then covered with a piece of metal, fastened with screws as shown.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various

A bridle joint is often defined as the reverse of a mortise and tenon, and is chiefly used in the carpentry and joinery trades.
Woodwork Joints|William Fairham
A joint of this type may be applied in nearly all cases where a halved or a mortise and tenon joint could be used.
Woodwork Joints|William Fairham

British Dictionary definitions for mortise

mortise

mortice

/ (ˈmɔːtɪs) /

noun

a slot or recess, usually rectangular, cut into a piece of wood, stone, etc, to receive a matching projection (tenon) of another piece, or a mortise lock

printing a cavity cut into a letterpress printing plate into which type or another plate is inserted

verb (tr)

to cut a slot or recess in (a piece of wood, stone, etc)

to join (two pieces of wood, stone, etc) by means of a mortise and tenon

to cut a cavity in (a letterpress printing plate) for the insertion of type, etc

Derived forms of mortise

mortiser, noun

Word Origin for mortise

C14: from Old French mortoise, perhaps from Arabic murtazza fastened in position

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

mortise

Origin of mortise

OTHER WORDS FROM mortise

Words nearby mortise

Words related to mortise

How to use mortise in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mortise

mortice

Derived forms of mortise

Word Origin for mortise