mortise
1 of 2noun
mor·tise ˈmȯr-təs 
variants or less commonly mortice
: 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
2 of 2verb
variants or less commonly mortice
mortised also morticed; mortising also morticing
transitive verb
1
: to join or fasten securely
specifically : to join or fasten by a tenon and mortise
2
: to cut or make a mortise in
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 20 July 2022 For a long time, there weren't any smart mortise-style locks. Dan Diclerico, Good Housekeeping, 10 May 2022 Cut a shallow sloping notch around the perimeter, then finish the hinge mortise by paring as shown [5]. Thomas Klenck, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2021 Its builders used mortise-and-tenon joints and constructed the vessel partly out of reused wood, suggesting that it was made in Egypt. Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 July 2021 Barnes attaches the slabs to the ends with a fastener-free mortise and tenon. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 24 Apr. 2021 Drill a relief hole in a corner, then cut out the mortise using a jigsaw [3]. Ted Kilcommons, Popular Mechanics, 12 June 2021 Here the standard types of joint, such as mortise and tenon, tongue and groove, and dovetail, are developed with ingenious intricacy. Michael J. Lewis, WSJ, 20 Apr. 2021 Instead, posts and beams were fitted together with mortise and tenon joints. John Kelly, Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2020 Alice Adams, Houston Chronicle, 20 Sep. 2019 See More
Noun
The use of long mortise-and-tenon joints and a developed internal structure point toward the Classical time period. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 20 July 2022 For a long time, there weren't any smart mortise-style locks. Dan Diclerico, Good Housekeeping, 10 May 2022 Cut a shallow sloping notch around the perimeter, then finish the hinge mortise by paring as shown [5]. Thomas Klenck, Popular Mechanics, 14 Aug. 2021 Its builders used mortise-and-tenon joints and constructed the vessel partly out of reused wood, suggesting that it was made in Egypt. Livia Gershon, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 July 2021 Barnes attaches the slabs to the ends with a fastener-free mortise and tenon. Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, 24 Apr. 2021 Drill a relief hole in a corner, then cut out the mortise using a jigsaw [3]. Ted Kilcommons, Popular Mechanics, 12 June 2021 Here the standard types of joint, such as mortise and tenon, tongue and groove, and dovetail, are developed with ingenious intricacy. Michael J. Lewis, WSJ, 20 Apr. 2021 Instead, posts and beams were fitted together with mortise and tenon joints. John Kelly, Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2020 Verb
It is mortised throughout and the home's joints were set in white lead. Alice Adams, Houston Chronicle, 20 Sep. 2019 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English mortays, from Anglo-French mortais
First Known Use
Noun
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1