mortise
noun
mor·tise
| \ ˈmȯr-təs
\
\
variants:
or less commonly mortice
Definition of mortise
(Entry 1 of 2)
: a hole, groove, or slot into or through which some other part of an arrangement of parts fits or passes
especially
: a cavity cut into a piece of material (such as timber) to receive a tenon — see dovetail illustration
mortise
verb
variants:
or less commonly mortice
mortised
also morticed;
mortising
also morticing
Definition of mortise (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to join or fasten securely
specifically
: to join or fasten by a tenon and mortise
2
: to cut or make a mortise in
Examples of mortise in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
The thick perimeter pieces and crosspieces were joined with interlocking mortise and tenon joints. — Washington Post, "This is what happens when someone slaps veneer on a century-old wood door," 17 June 2019 For example, the notch for a hinge (called a hinge mortise) may have been cut a little too deeply. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "Need To Know: The Life-Changing Power of Shims," 9 Nov. 2018 The IglooHome smart mortise lock combines those with a keypad and lever, and comes with hotel-like access fobs for those who don’t want to use the app. — Joshua Fruhlinger, WSJ, "Is It Smart to Install a Smart Lock?," 11 July 2018 The structure was built using mortise and tenon, with pegs for extra strength-- a technique lost in the following century. — Adele Foster, NOLA.com, "Mandeville Bible Church, established in 1876, breathes history on Carroll Street," 16 July 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mortise.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for mortise
mortise
noun
English Language Learners Definition of mortise
technical
: a hole that is cut in a piece of wood or other material so that another piece (called a tenon) will fit into it to form a connection
See the full definition for mortise in the English Language Learners Dictionary