Meaning & use
mortise
A rectangular hole cut into a piece of wood or other material designed to receive a matching projecting piece, called a tenon.
See it in a sentence
The carpenter chiseled a mortise into the leg to hold the tabletop's tenon.
A well-fitted mortise and tenon joint needs no nails or screws to stay strong.
A note on using this word
Mortise-and-tenon joints are prized in fine woodworking for their strength and durability without metal fasteners.
Words with a similar meaning
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