Mortarboards

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. A flat, square academic cap worn, typically with a tassel, during graduation ceremonies
  2. An emblem of scholarly achievement representing completed education
  3. A symbol commonly associated with higher education and academic traditions in various cultures

Etymology: The distinctive flat-topped academic cap commonly seen at graduations is known as a mortarboard, a name that traces back to a tool used in masonry. The term draws a direct parallel between the square, flat shape of the cap and the board used by bricklayers to hold mortar, the sticky substance that binds bricks together. This imagery emerged in English around the mid-19th century, when the academic cap's design became standardized and associated with scholarly achievement. The mortarboard's shape is believed to have evolved from earlier academic headwear such as the biretta and the pileus quadratus, with the flat square symbolizing the book or knowledge itself. The connection to masonry tools may seem unexpected, but it highlights how everyday objects influenced the terminology of academic dress. The original mortarboard tool is a simple wooden board with a handle beneath, used by masons to keep mortar within easy reach while working on walls. This metaphorical transfer of a craftsman’s tool to a symbol of intellectual labor captures the historical view of scholarship as a form of careful construction and building—assembling ideas as masons assemble bricks. The tassel attached to the center of the cap adds another layer of symbolism, often moved from one side to the other during graduation ceremonies to mark the transition from candidate to graduate. The word itself is a compound of "mortar," derived from Old French "mortier," and "board," from Old English "bord," both simple and ancient roots. Yet, the compound took on this specialized meaning only in the 19th century, long after the individual words were well established in English. The term serves as a reminder of how language can repurpose practical objects into emblems of culture and tradition.