Mortier, mor′tye, n. a cap of state worn by legal functionaries in France.
Mortiferous, mor-tif′ėr-us, adj. death-bringing: fatal. [L. mors, death, ferre, to bring.]
Mortify, mor′ti-fī, v.t. to destroy the vital functions of: to subdue by severities and penance: to vex: to humble: (Scots law) to dispose of by mortification.—v.i. to lose vitality, to gangrene: to be subdued:—pa.t. and pa.p. mor′tified.—ns. Mortificā′tion, act of mortifying or state of being mortified: the death of one part of an animal body: a bringing under of the passions and appetites by a severe or strict manner of living: humiliation: vexation: that which mortifies or vexes: (Scots law) a bequest to some charitable institution; Mor′tifiedness, subjugation of the passions; Mor′tifier, one who mortifies.—adj. Mor′tifying, tending to mortify or humble: humiliating: vexing. [Fr.,—Low L. mortificāre, to cause death to—mors death, facĕre, to make.]
Mortise, mor′tis, n. a cavity cut into a piece of timber to receive the tenon, a projection on another piece made to fit it: stability, power of adhesion—also Mor′tice.—v.t. to cut a mortise in: to join by a mortise and tenon. [Fr. mortaise; ety. unknown.]
Mortmain, mort′mān, n. the transfer of property to a corporation, which is said to be a dead hand, or one that can never part with it again.—Statutes of mortmain, acts of parliament restricting or forbidding the giving of property to religious houses. [Fr. mort, dead, main—L. manus, the hand.]
Mortuary, mort′ū-ar-i, n. adj. belonging to the burial of the dead.—n. a burial-place, place for the temporary reception of the dead: a gift claimed by the minister of a parish on the death of a parishioner. [Low L.,—L. mortuus, dead, mori, to die.]
Morula, mor′ū-la, n. condition of an ovum after complete segmentation: button-scurvy.
Morus, mō′rus, n. a genus of trees or shrubs of the nettle family—the mulberries. [L.]
Mosaic, mö-zā′ik, n. a kind of work in which designs are formed by small pieces of coloured marble, glass, &c. cemented on a ground of stucco, or inlaid upon metal.—adj. relating to, or composed of, mosaic.—adv. Mosā′ically.—n. Mosā′icist.—Mosaic gold, an alloy of copper and zinc—also Ormolu. [Fr.,—L. musæum or musivum (opus), mosaic (work)—Gr. mouseios—Mousa, a muse.]
Mosaic, mō-zā′ik, adj. pertaining to Moses, the great Jewish lawgiver.—n. Mō′saism.—Mosaic Law, the law of the Jews given by Moses at Mount Sinai.