Illustration of mortar
- M mortar
- P pestle
1
: a sturdy vessel in which material is pounded or rubbed with a pestle
crushed the seeds in a mortar
2
[Middle French mortier]
a
: a portable muzzle-loading weapon having a tube short in relation to its caliber (see caliber sense 2b) that is used to throw bombs at high angles
mortars fired at the enemy positions
b
: any of several similar firing devices
: a plastic building material (such as a mixture of cement, lime, or gypsum plaster with sand and water) that hardens and is used in masonry or plastering
mortarless
adjective
mortared; mortaring; mortars
: to plaster or make fast with mortar
Examples of mortar in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Seung Min Kim, TIME, 15 May 2024
The latest weapons package includes the potential transfer of $700 million in tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the development.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY, 15 May 2024
Following his meeting with Vladimir Putin in September 2023, Kim Jong Un has sought Russia’s help in launching its own spy satellites, sending in return artillery shells, mortars and short-range ballistic missiles for Russia’s war with Ukraine.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Nearby, excavations uncovered two shallow bathtubs with waterproof mortar coverings, the institute said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 May 2024
Police seized a small military unit's haul of weapons, including 9 mm pistols, Glocks, grenades, mortars and two bars of C4 explosives.
—Peter Aitken, Fox News, 8 May 2024
The company's move beyond the brick and mortar project in Mount Pleasant stems from the company's recognition that its position as a technology innovator needs to be tied to a public benefit, Smith said.
—Karl Ebert, Journal Sentinel, 8 May 2024
The Israeli military said that four mortar shells and two rockets had been launched toward Kerem Shalom from Rafah but that no injuries or damage were reported.
—Michael Levenson, New York Times, 7 May 2024
On April 24, a mortar attack targeted the port site, though no one was hurt.
—Jon Gambrell, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2024
Xanthe Scharff, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 July 2023
Noun
The package being sent includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the aides said.
—Seung Min Kim, TIME, 15 May 2024
The latest weapons package includes the potential transfer of $700 million in tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the development.
—Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA TODAY, 15 May 2024
Following his meeting with Vladimir Putin in September 2023, Kim Jong Un has sought Russia’s help in launching its own spy satellites, sending in return artillery shells, mortars and short-range ballistic missiles for Russia’s war with Ukraine.
—Max Kim, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2024
Nearby, excavations uncovered two shallow bathtubs with waterproof mortar coverings, the institute said.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 13 May 2024
Police seized a small military unit's haul of weapons, including 9 mm pistols, Glocks, grenades, mortars and two bars of C4 explosives.
—Peter Aitken, Fox News, 8 May 2024
The company's move beyond the brick and mortar project in Mount Pleasant stems from the company's recognition that its position as a technology innovator needs to be tied to a public benefit, Smith said.
—Karl Ebert, Journal Sentinel, 8 May 2024
The Israeli military said that four mortar shells and two rockets had been launched toward Kerem Shalom from Rafah but that no injuries or damage were reported.
—Michael Levenson, New York Times, 7 May 2024
On April 24, a mortar attack targeted the port site, though no one was hurt.
—Jon Gambrell, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr. 2024
Verb
Their homes, mortared with mud and topped with straw, are vulnerable to rain.
—Xanthe Scharff, The Christian Science Monitor, 24 July 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mortar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mortar
Cite this Entry
“Mortar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mortar. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mortar
1 of 2 noun
mor·tar
ˈmȯrt-ər 
1
: a strong deep bowl in which substances are pounded or crushed with a pestle
2
: a short muzzle-loading cannon used to fire shells at a low speed and at high angles
mortar
2 of 2 noun
: a building material made of lime and cement mixed with sand and water that is spread between bricks or stones so as to hold them together when it hardens
mortar
verb
Medical Definition
mortar
noun
mor·tar
ˈmȯrt-ər
: a strong vessel in which material is pounded or rubbed with a pestle
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