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

How to use mortise in a sentence

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
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