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motte

or mott

[mot]
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
noun Chiefly Southwestern U.S.
  1. a grove or clump of trees in prairie land or open country.

Origin of motte

1830–40, Americanism; < Mexican Spanish mata; Spanish: grove, plantation, perhaps < Late Latin matta mat1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for motte

Historical Examples

  • "Wait till I tell you another thing, Admiral," Motte interposed.

    The False Chevalier

    William Douw Lighthall

  • During the forenoon we passed over a "motte" of prairie or park.

  • The hunters, at the suggestion, galloped off to surround the motte.

  • A motte of timber had served him as a mark: the steed had passed close to its edge.

    The War Trail

    Mayne Reid

  • As we entered the prairie, Captain; but my route will lie past this motte to the left.

    The Rifle Rangers

    Captain Mayne Reid

British Dictionary definitions for motte

motte

noun
  1. history a natural or man-made mound on which a castle was erected

Word Origin

C14: see moat
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012