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mortar

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mortar

Main Entry:: ¹mor·tar
Pronunciation:: \ˈmȯr-tər\
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 pestle2[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

[mortar illustration]

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