moat

[moht]

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.

moat

/ məʊt /

noun

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

verb

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

   a moated grange

Word History and Origins

Origin of moat¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of moat¹

C14: from Old French motte mound

Example Sentences

“We believe that the negative growth CarMax is experiencing is reflective of a highly competitive used-car market and demonstrates Carvana’s competitive moat.”

Read more on MarketWatch

Falling prices are rarely good news for sellers—but when they come with millions of new patients and a bigger moat against competitors, the pain is worth it.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

As you drive into Falmouth, there's still a moat of dirty looking standing water surrounding the town.

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Analysts at Mizuho called the site a “moat” and said “rapid power at scale is possible.”

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In normal times investors prefer companies that generate more profit with less capital—with the ideal being a firm with what Warren Buffett calls a “moat” protecting its business from too much competition.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• gully 
• trench