motte

noun

: mound, hill
especially : a hill serving as a site for a Norman castle in Britain

Examples of motte in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Condon Castle, in Moorepark, also known as Cloghleagh Castle, is a simple stone fortress that rises seven stories above a low motte overlooking what was once the main Cork-Dublin road. Josh Condon, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'motte.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French mote, motte

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of motte was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near motte

Cite this Entry

“Motte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motte. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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