Definition

1. Noun:
   • The craft or occupation of a mason: The skilled work of building structures from individual units of materials like stone, brick, or concrete blocks, often using mortar.
   • The work constructed by a mason: A structure or the part of a structure that is built from materials such as stone, brick, or concrete blocks.
   • (Capitalized, as Freemasonry): The institutions, practices, and body of members of the Fraternal Order of Freemasons.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • He studied masonry to learn how to build a stone wall. (He studied the craft to learn construction techniques.)
  • The old building's masonry was crumbling and needed repair. (The brick or stone structure of the building was deteriorating.)
  • His grandfather was deeply involved in Masonry. (His grandfather was a committed member of the Freemasons.)

Advanced Usage

• "Cyclopean masonry": A type of ancient stonework built with massive, irregular limestone boulders, fitted together without mortar.
  • The archaeological site featured impressive Cyclopean masonry.
• "Reinforced masonry": Masonry construction strengthened with embedded materials like steel bars to improve its tensile strength.
  • The building code required reinforced masonry for the new school in the seismic zone.

Variants and Related Words

• Mason (n): A person whose trade is building with stone, brick, or similar materials.
  • The mason carefully laid each brick.
• Stonework (n): Work done in stone, or a structure made of stone. This is a specific type of masonry.
  • The cathedral's intricate stonework took decades to complete.

Synonyms

• Brickwork: Construction using bricks, a subset of masonry.
• Stonecraft: The art of working with stone (archaic).
• Freemasonry (when capitalized): Specifically refers to the fraternal organization.

Related Phrases

• "Masonry drill bit": A specialized drill bit designed for boring into brick, concrete, or stone.
  • You'll need a masonry drill bit to install that shelf on the brick wall.
• "Masonry cement": A specific type of cement formulated for use in mortar for masonry construction.
  • The recipe for the mortar called for masonry cement, sand, and water.

Related Idioms

• (To be) set in stone/masonry: To be permanent and unchangeable. (Note: This idiom uses "stone," a primary material of masonry, but not the word "masonry" itself. It is included here due to its strong conceptual link.)
  • The plan isn't set in stone; we can still make adjustments.

Noun

1. the craft of a mason
2. Freemasons collectively
3. structure built of stone or brick by a mason