Mudbricks

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of building material made from a mixture of clay, water, and organic materials that is shaped and dried in blocks
2. Composed of naturally occurring earth materials, these blocks serve as a sustainable, eco-friendly option for construction in many climates
3. Utilized in ancient and contemporary architecture, they provide durable structures through a simple process of forming and sun-drying earth mixtures

Etymology: "Mudbricks" is the plural of "mudbrick", a compound of "mud" and "brick". The pairing is about as literal as English compounds get: a mudbrick is simply a brick made of mud, shaped in a mould and left to dry in the sun rather than fired in a kiln. The plural form adds nothing new to the story. It is the same compound used in the plural, so the history rests entirely on its two parts. "Mud" and "brick" are both native-sounding words that English has used for centuries, and their combination describes the material directly, with no metaphor involved.

Synonyms: adobe, earthen bricks, clay bricks