Mor·tise n.  A cavity cut into a piece of timber, or other material, to receive something (as the end of another piece) made to fit it, and called a tenon.
  Mortise and tenon Carp., made with a mortise and tenon; joined or united by means of a mortise and tenon; -- used adjectively.
  Mortise joint, a joint made by a mortise and tenon.
  Mortise lock. See under Lock.
  Mortise wheel, a cast-iron wheel, with wooden clogs inserted in mortises on its face or edge; -- also called mortise gear, and core gear.
  mortise joint
       n 1: a gliding joint between the distal ends of the tibia and
            fibula and the proximal end of the talus [syn: ankle,
            ankle joint, articulatio talocruralis]
       2: a joint made by inserting tenon on one piece into mortise
          holes in the other [syn: mortise-and-tenon joint]