Skip to the word

Added 10 October 2026

mortise

/ˈmɔː(ɹ).tɪs/ noun

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mortise at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A square hole made to receive a tenon and so to form a joint.

verb

Cut a hole for a tenon in.
Join by a tenon and mortise.

Origin

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

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word