brickwork: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral to Technical
Quick answer
What does “brickwork” mean?
The craft or structure of building with bricks, or the result of such building.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The craft or structure of building with bricks, or the result of such building.
Often used metaphorically to refer to the basic, solid, foundational structure of something (e.g., an argument, a company).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference. 'Masonry' is a more common technical term in both, but 'brickwork' specifies brick as the material.
Connotations
Similar in both varieties. Carries connotations of durability, traditional craftsmanship, and solidity.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK English due to greater historical prevalence of brick as a primary building material.
Grammar
How to Use “brickwork” in a Sentence
Noun + of + brickwork (e.g., section of brickwork)Adjective + brickworkVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “brickwork” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A - Not standard as a verb.
American English
- N/A - Not standard as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A - Not standard as an adverb.
American English
- N/A - Not standard as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- N/A - Not standard as an adjective. Use 'brick' as a modifier (e.g., brick wall).
American English
- N/A - Not standard as an adjective. Use 'brick' as a modifier (e.g., brick facade).
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in construction/property contexts: 'The renovation budget must cover repairing the listed brickwork.'
Academic
Used in architecture, civil engineering, and history: 'The paper analyses the deterioration of 19th-century brickwork.'
Everyday
Common when discussing houses, renovations, or historic buildings: 'We love the exposed brickwork in the living room.'
Technical
Core term in building trades and structural engineering: 'The brickwork requires repointing to prevent moisture ingress.'
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brickwork”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'three brickworks' meaning three walls; 'brickworks' is a factory).
- Confusing 'brickwork' (the structure) with 'bricklaying' (the activity).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Bricklaying' is the activity or craft of laying bricks. 'Brickwork' is the resulting structure or product.
Yes, it can refer to the brick construction of a single wall, a chimney, or an entire building.
It is usually uncountable. The countable plural 'brickworks' refers to brick-making factories, not multiple structures.
'Masonry' is a broader term for stonework, blockwork, and brickwork. 'Brickwork' is a type of masonry specifically using bricks.
The craft or structure of building with bricks, or the result of such building.
Brickwork is usually neutral to technical in register.
Brickwork: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪk.wɜːk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbrɪk.wɝːk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Like trying to knock down a brick wall (metaphor for futility).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BRICK's WORK. The work that bricks do when put together forms BRICKWORK.
Conceptual Metaphor
FOUNDATION IS BRICKWORK (e.g., 'the brickwork of our democracy'); SOLIDITY/RELIABILITY IS BRICKWORK.
Practice
Quiz
In a technical building context, 'brickwork' most specifically refers to: