mor ‧ tar /ˈmɔːtə $ ˈmɔːrtər/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1000-1100 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: mortier , from Latin mortarium ]
1 . [uncountable] a mixture of ↑ cement or ↑ lime , and sand and water, used in building for holding bricks or stones together
2 . [countable] a heavy gun that fires bombs or ↑ shell s in a high curve:
A cameraman was killed when his vehicle came under mortar fire.
a mortar attack
3 .
[countable] a stone bowl in which substances are crushed with a ↑ pestle (=tool with a heavy round end) :
You’ll need a pestle and mortar to grind the spices.
⇨ bricks and mortar at ↑ brick 1 (2)