What does bricklayer mean?
A bricklayer is a skilled construction worker who builds and repairs walls, chimneys, arches, and other structures by setting bricks into beds of mortar. It is a straightforward compound noun formed from "brick" plus "layer," meaning one who lays bricks. Bricklaying is an ancient and exacting craft: a competent bricklayer must keep courses level, maintain consistent mortar joints, and interpret architectural drawings, which is why the trade typically requires a formal apprenticeship. In American English the work is often described under the broader heading of masonry, and practitioners may be called masons or brick masons, while British English reserves "bricklayer" specifically for those working with bricks as opposed to stone. Informally in Britain the term is shortened to "brickie." The word carries no emotional charge — it is a neutral job title — but it evokes sturdy, tangible craftsmanship: the kind of patient, methodical labor that produces walls able to stand for centuries.
nounA person whose trade is building or repairing walls, chimneys, and other structures by laying bricks in mortar.
- A skilled tradesperson who builds structures by laying bricks in mortar; also called a brickmason in American English.
"The bricklayer laid each course of the garden wall with a level and a trowel."
"After the storm damaged the chimney, we called a bricklayer to rebuild it."
"He served a four-year apprenticeship before qualifying as a fully certified bricklayer."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple workers in the trade.
"The contractor hired two bricklayers to finish the retaining wall before winter."
Every brick wall you've ever leaned on was built one brick — and one spread of mortar — at a time, by someone doing work so precise that Roman bricklayers' joints still hold after 2,000 years.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bricklayer
The word "bricklayer" is a transparent English compound of "brick" and "layer," literally "one who lays bricks." "Brick" itself entered Middle English from Old French "brique," probably of Germanic origin, while "lay" comes from Old English "lecgan." The compound arose naturally as the specialized building trades developed in medieval and early modern England, and it has remained the standard British term for the occupation ever since. Its American counterpart, "brickmason," reflects the same trade viewed through the vocabulary of masonry.
Related word forms
How bricklayer is actually used
A neutral occupational term with no strong register. In American English the trade is often covered under "mason" or "brick mason," while British English uses "bricklayer" (and informally "brickie") more specifically for brickwork as distinct from stonework. The word is always written as one word, never hyphenated.
Easily confused with bricklayer
"Brickie" is a chiefly British informal nickname for a bricklayer, not a separate occupation or word.
A stonemason works with cut stone rather than bricks and mortar, though the trades are closely related.