A masonry-steel mixed structure combines steel framing elements or reinforcing bars with masonry walls or piers in its framework to carry the structure's weight and to resist lateral forces (like wind and seismic shocks). This can take various forms, including masonry walls reinforced by steel beams or masonry columns mixed with a steel skeleton.

In this form of construction, the tensile strength of steel complements the ability of masonry to resist compression.

Both materials contribute to the load-bearing framework. A masonry exterior finish alone does not establish that combination when it is separate from the supporting frame.