mason
mason — noun
1. someone whose trade is constructing or repairing walls, buildings, and other str
someone whose trade is constructing or repairing walls, buildings, and other structures by joining together stones, bricks, or concrete blocks
The mayor hired a team of masons to restore the town’s old stone bridge.
Bilal worked as a mason for ten years before starting his own construction company.
Masons in this region specialise in building with local volcanic rock and clay bricks.
A career as a mason requires physical strength, patience, and a good eye for detail.
- construction worker
a much broader term that includes many trades beyond stone and brick work
- waller
a dialectal term, especially in Scotland and northern England, for a dry-stone mason
用法筆記
This is the broadest sense of 'mason'. It covers both stonemasons and bricklayers. For a specific sub-trade, use 'stonemason' (stone only) or 'bricklayer' (bricks only).
2. a person whose job is to cut and shape stone so that it can be used in buildings
a person whose job is to cut and shape stone so that it can be used in buildings, walls, or monuments
The old church hired a mason to repair the cracked stone pillars near the entrance.
collocation: stone + pillars / walls / blocks
Sayaka’s grandfather was a mason who carved headstones for the local cemetery.
A skilled mason can turn a rough block of granite into a smooth decorative column.
The castle walls were built by masons who shaped every stone by hand.
- stonemason
the exact term for this sense; 'mason' is a shorter, everyday form
- stonecutter
focuses on the cutting stage rather than the full building process
用法筆記
To refer specifically to someone who cuts and shapes stone, 'stonemason' is more precise. In everyday speech, 'mason' alone often covers both stone-cutting and brick-laying work.
3. a worker who builds walls, houses, or other structures by arranging bricks and j
a worker who builds walls, houses, or other structures by arranging bricks and joining them with mortar
The construction company needs three more masons to finish the brick house before winter.
collocation: build + brick house / wall / chimney
Mateo worked as a mason, helping his uncle build garden walls in Seville.
A good mason checks that each row of bricks is level before adding the next.
The garden shed was built by a local mason using red bricks and lime mortar.
- bricklayer
the exact, more common term for someone who lays bricks
- brickie
informal British term for a bricklayer
用法筆記
In many English-speaking regions, 'bricklayer' is the preferred term for this specific trade. 'Mason' is also used but can also mean a stonemason, so context matters.
4. a person who belongs to an international fraternal organisation whose members re
a person who belongs to an international fraternal organisation whose members recognise each other through special handshakes, symbols, and passwords, and who support one another
My great-grandfather was a mason who attended lodge meetings every Thursday evening.
collocation: lodge meeting
The local Masonic hall hosts community events that are open to both members and visitors.
David discovered that three of his colleagues were also masons when he joined the fraternity.
Historians have written many books about the influence of masons on politics and science.
用法筆記
This sense is always capitalised when written in full as 'Freemason'. In running text, 'mason' is lowercased by many writers, but some style guides capitalise it to avoid ambiguity with the building trade.
常見錯誤
❖ 'He is a mason who builds houses' (when meaning a Freemason). ✅ 'He is a mason who belongs to the local lodge.' — when referring to a Freemason, use context such as 'lodge' or 'fraternity' to avoid confusion with the construction trade.