n.
Pronunciation: ' mo ̇ r-t ə r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English morter, from Old English mortere & Anglo-French mortier, from Latin mortarium
Date: before 12th century
1 : a sturdy vessel in which material is pounded or rubbed with a pestle
2 [Middle French mortier ] a : a muzzle-loading cannon having a tube short in relation to its caliber that is used to throw projectiles at high angles b : any of several similar firing devices
M mortar, P pestle