moat

American  

[moht] / moʊt /

noun

1. a deep, wide trench, usually filled with water, surrounding the rampart of a fortified place, such as a town or a castle.

2. any trench, such as one used for confining animals in a zoo.

3. a competitive advantage a business has in its field.

   The company's moat was reduced when the patent on the devices they sold expired.

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moat British  

/ məʊt /

noun

1. a wide water-filled ditch surrounding a fortified place, such as a castle

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verb

1. (tr) to surround with or as if with a moat

   a moated grange

Etymology

Origin of moat

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English mote, from Old French: “clod, mound,” of obscure origin

Example Sentences

“We believe AI will provide a material increase in engagement for Doximity, where we believe the company has an underappreciated competitive moat,” they say, backing their strong buy rating on the stock.

From The Wall Street Journal

Claude doubled down with a “deliberate overweight to semiconductors,” responding that infrastructure names are “where the most durable moats and visible demand trajectories lie.”

From MarketWatch

Investors will be arguing about space, valuations, growth rates, competitive moats, Elon Musk, and just about everything else.

From Barron's

But bulls say investors are overlooking how these companies have competitive moats, as well as their own AI initiatives that could pay off.

From MarketWatch

Platforms would compete on price and user experience, rather than a moat of content.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• gully
• trench