masonry

American  

[mey-suhn-ree] / ˈmeɪ sən ri /

noun

plural

masonries

1. the craft or occupation of a mason.

2. work constructed by a mason, especially stonework.

   the crumbling masonry of ancient walls.

3. (initial capital letter) Freemasonry.

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masonry British  

/ ˈmeɪsənrɪ /

noun

1. the craft of a mason

2. work that is built by a mason; stonework or brickwork

3. (often capital) short for Freemasonry

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Etymology

Origin of masonry

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English masonerie, from Middle French maçonnerie; equivalent to mason + -ery

Example Sentences

Night-time footage released by the Iranian Red Crescent shows rescuers removing fallen masonry to try to reach Berivan's trapped mother as she begs to know: "Is my daughter alive?"

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

His graciousness even extended to the treatment of wooden water tanks, which he often wrapped in masonry to give them the appearance of little temples—much nicer to look at from the street.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026

Behind them, Gehry designed bulky offices — one clad in dark, rough masonry, the other in irregular white stucco — but they’ve since been overshadowed by the quirky entry sculpture.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025

A witness told AFP that masonry from an eight-storey building in Dhaka had fallen onto a busy road below.

From Barron's • Nov. 21, 2025

Over the years he’d learned every trade he could get close to—fishing, ship rigging, painting, framing, masonry, plumbing, roofing, tile work, even auto repair.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers