moat

noun

ˈmōt 

1

: a deep and wide trench around the rampart of a fortified place (such as a castle) that is usually filled with water

The moat can be crossed by a drawbridge.

2

: a channel resembling a moat (as about a seamount or for confinement of animals in a zoo)

A Bengal tiger stared at me from across the moat.

moated

ˈmō-təd 

adjective

moatlike

ˈmōt-ˌlīk 

adjective

Illustration of moat

• moat 1

Examples of moat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet a different view suggests OpenAI is much closer to creating a sustainable moat. —Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2025

Château de Beloeil, on the other hand, is an 800-year-old castle completely surrounded by a moat. —Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 15 Aug. 2025

Code is not going to have a moat, but network effects will. —Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025

And Charon has a strange ice mountain submerged in a frozen moat — a unique feature among icy peaks. —Nola Taylor Tillman, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for moat

• bloat
• boat
• choate
• coat
• cote
• dote
• float
• gloat
• goat
• groat
• haute
• mote

Kids Definition

moat

noun

ˈmōt 

: a deep wide trench around the walls of a castle or fortress that is usually filled with water