motte and bailey

noun

: a medieval Norman castle consisting of two connecting ditched stockaded mounds with the higher mound surmounted by the keep and the lower one containing barracks and other buildings

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Stepping onto the nine-acre estate of the Norman motte and bailey structure, which was built by Robert, Count of Mortain, in 1068 following the Battle of Hastings, they were instantly charmed. —

New York Times, 11 May 2022

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'motte and bailey.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of motte and bailey was in 1900

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Motte and bailey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/motte%20and%20bailey. Accessed 28 Mar. 2023.

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