Main Entry:

moat

Pronunciation:

\ˈmōt\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English mote, from Anglo-French mote, motte mound, moat

Date:

14th century

1 : a deep and wide trench around the rampart of a fortified place (as a castle) that is usually filled with water 2 : a channel resembling a moat (as about a seamount or for confinement of animals in a zoo)

— moat·ed \ˈmō-təd\ adjective

— moat·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

[moat illustration]