Where does “mortar” come from?

mortar (Middle English) comes from Middle English morter, from Old French mortier, from Latin mortarium, from Proto-Indo-European mer- — to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland.

mortar (Middle English): Alternative form of morter

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of morter

Ancestry of “mortar”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishmorterA mortar; Grout or mortar; A bowl with fuel...
2Old Frenchmortier—
3Latinmortariummortar; large basin in which mortar is made
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmer-to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mer- →Every word from Latin mortarium →Every word from Old French mortier →