mortise

or mor·tice

[ mawr-tis ]
/ ˈmɔr tɪs /

noun

a notch, hole, groove, or slot made in a piece of wood or the like to receive a tenon of the same dimensions.
a deep recess cut into wood for any of several other purposes, as for receiving a mortise lock.
Printing. a space cut out of a plate, especially for the insertion of type or another plate.

verb (used with object), mor·tised, mor·tis·ing.

Origin of mortise

1350–1400; Middle English morteys, mortaise < Anglo-French mortais(e), Old French mortoise, of obscure origin

OTHER WORDS FROM mortise

mor·tis·er, noun

Example sentences from the Web for mortise

British Dictionary definitions for mortise

mortise

mortice

/ (ˈmɔːtɪs) /

noun

a slot or recess, usually rectangular, cut into a piece of wood, stone, etc, to receive a matching projection (tenon) of another piece, or a mortise lock
printing a cavity cut into a letterpress printing plate into which type or another plate is inserted

verb (tr)

to cut a slot or recess in (a piece of wood, stone, etc)
to join (two pieces of wood, stone, etc) by means of a mortise and tenon
to cut a cavity in (a letterpress printing plate) for the insertion of type, etc

Derived forms of mortise

mortiser, noun

Word Origin for mortise

C14: from Old French mortoise, perhaps from Arabic murtazza fastened in position