Mortar Meaning in English
word
Definition
'Mortar' can mean a strong bowl for grinding substances, a mixture used in construction to hold bricks together, or a type of weapon that fires explosive shells.
Usage & Nuances
'Mortar' is formal and technical. In daily conversation, the 'bowl' meaning usually appears as 'mortar and pestle.' The building material sense is common in construction. The weapon meaning is military/technical. Avoid confusing 'mortar' with 'pestle' (the grinding tool).
Example Sentences
She crushed spices with a mortar and pestle.
basic
The bricklayer used mortar to hold the bricks together.
basic
The army launched a mortar at the enemy.
basic
The recipe says to grind the herbs in a mortar to bring out their flavor.
natural
We’re out of mortar, so we can’t finish building this wall until we get more.
natural
They heard the sound of a mortar firing echo across the hills.
natural