mortise

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a rectangular cavity cut in one piece of material to receive a matching tenon and form a joint

   The carpenter cut a mortise in the post and fitted the rail's tenon into it.

2. 2
   verb

   to join pieces with a mortise and tenon, or to cut a mortise in something

   The frame was carefully mortised and pegged without metal fasteners.

From Middle English morteys and Old French mortaise. The French word is often traced to Arabic murtazz, 'fastened,' from a verb meaning to fix firmly. Mortice is the established British spelling variant.

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