mortise

/ˈmɔː(ɹ).tɪs/

mortise noun: a hole that is made to receive a tenon so as to form a joint.

Noun

mortise (plural mortises)

A hole that is made to receive a tenon so as to form a joint.
- If there is much gauging for the same size mortise and tenon to be done, and if a mortise gauge is not handy, a simple improvised gauge for the purpose can easily be made with two pieces of wood and four or five steel sprigs…2016 September 6, A Little Book of Woodworking Joints - Including Dovetailing, Mortise-and-Tenon and Mitred Joints, 2nd edition (paperback), Read Books Limited, →ISBN
- A keyed mortise-and-tenon joint is constructed the same as a doweled mortise and tenon joint except that the tenon projects far enough through the mortise to admit the insertion of a tapering key which draws the mortised piece firmly against the shoulder of the tenon.1918, Herman Frederick Rusch, Shop Work, Joinery-cabinet-making-carpentry, Chicago, Illinois, United States: University of Chicago Press, page 56
Stability; power of adhesion.

mortise (third-person singular simple present mortises, present participle mortising, simple past and past participle mortised)

(transitive) To cut a mortise in.
- A keyed mortise-and-tenon joint is constructed the same as a doweled mortise and tenon joint except that the tenon projects far enough through the mortise to admit the insertion of a tapering key which draws the mortised piece firmly against the shoulder of the tenon.1918, Herman Frederick Rusch, Shop Work, Joinery-cabinet-making-carpentry, Chicago, Illinois, United States: University of Chicago Press, page 56
(transitive) To join by a mortise and tenon.
- Sculptures from Mohenjodaro and Tell Asmar in 2400 B.C. show wheels consisting of three pieces of wood mortised together, and bound with leather tyres which were attached with copper nails. These wheels turned in one piece with the axle, which was secured to the body of the sledge with leather...1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 79
To adjust the horizontal space between selected pairs of letters; to kern.

பொளி

ಕೂಲುವೆಜ್ಜ

First we'll tenon this part, then we'll make a mortise that will fit it on that part.
The mortised joint was very strong.
These systems consisted of a panic-bar-activated headbolt, footbolt, and mortised deadbolt.

Noun
plural	mortises
alternative form	mortice
Verb
third-person singular present	mortises
present participle	mortising
past participle	mortised
past	mortised

From Middle English morteys, from Old French mortaise, from Arabic مُرْتَزّ (murtazz, “fastened”), from اِرْتَزَّ (irtazza).

What does mortise mean?: Mortise means a hole that is made to receive a tenon so as to form a joint.
What is mortise in Tamil?: Mortise in Tamil is பொளி. See Mortise meaning in Tamil.
What part of speech is mortise?: Mortise can be a noun or a verb.
How do you pronounce mortise?: Mortise is pronounced /ˈmɔː(ɹ).tɪs/.
What is the plural of mortise?: The plural of mortise is mortises.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-mortise.wav.

Cite this entry: “mortise.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/mortise. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.