motte

English - English

Definition of motte in English English dictionary

a raised earth mound, often topped with a wooden or stone structure and surrounded with a ditch

{i} man-made mound on which a fortress or castle is built

A clump of trees in a prairie

A copse or small stand of trees on a prairie. A tuft of human or animal hair standing up on the head or body

Related Terms

motte and bailey

the predecessor of the castle, having a raised earth mound (the motte) topped with a tower (or donjon), and a wooden ring fortification surrounding a courtyard (the bailey)

motte-and-bailey

{i} Norman castle of the Middle Ages comprising of two connecting ditched stockaded mounds with a wooden donjon rising above and placed in the outer courtyard of the castle

Turkish pronunciation

mät

Pronunciation

/ˈmät/ /ˈmɑːt/

Etymology

[ 'mät ] (noun.) 13th century. Middle English mote, from Old French mote, motte.