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mortar (1) “mixture of cement,” late 13c., from O.Fr. mortier “builder’s mortar, plaster; bowl for mixing” (13c.), from L. mortarium “mortar,” also “crushed drugs,” probably the same word as mortarium “bowl for mixing or pounding” (see mortar (2)). Dutch mortel, Ger. Mörtel are from Latin or French.mortar (2) “bowl for pounding,” c.1300, from O.Fr. mortier “bowl; builder’s mortar,” from L. mortarium “bowl for mixing or pounding,” also “material prepared in it,” of unknown origin and impossible now to determine which sense was original (Watkins says probably from PIE root *mer- “to rub away, harm;” see morbid). morbid (adj.) 1650s, “of the nature of a disease, indicative of a disease,” from L. morbidus “diseased,” from morbus “sickness, disease, ailment, illness,” from root of mori “to die,” which is possibly from PIE root *mer- “to rub, pound, wear away” (cf. Skt. mrnati “crushes, bruises;” Gk. marainein “to consume, exhaust, put out, quench,” marasmus “consumption”). Transferred use, of mental states, is from 1777. Related: Morbidly; morbidness.

mortar (1) Look up mortar at Dictionary.com“mixture of cement,” late 13c., from O.Fr. mortier “builder’s mortar, plaster; bowl for mixing” (13c.), from L. mortarium “mortar,” also “crushed drugs,” probably the same word as mortarium “bowl for mixing or pounding” (see mortar (2)). Dutch mortel, Ger. Mörtel are from Latin or French.mortar (2) Look up mortar at Dictionary.com“bowl for pounding,” c.1300, from O.Fr. mortier “bowl; builder’s mortar,” from L. mortarium “bowl for mixing or pounding,” also “material prepared in it,” of unknown origin and impossible now to determine which sense was original (Watkins says probably from PIE root *mer- “to rub away, harm;” see morbid).

morbid (adj.) Look up morbid at Dictionary.com1650s, “of the nature of a disease, indicative of a disease,” from L. morbidus “diseased,” from morbus “sickness, disease, ailment, illness,” from root of mori “to die,” which is possibly from PIE root *mer- “to rub, pound, wear away” (cf. Skt. mrnati “crushes, bruises;” Gk. marainein “to consume, exhaust, put out, quench,” marasmus “consumption”). Transferred use, of mental states, is from 1777. Related: Morbidly; morbidness.