motte

noun

ˈmät

: mound, hill

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

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

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Motte.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motte. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.

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