motte

American  

[mot] / mɒt /

Or mott

noun

Chiefly Southwestern U.S.

1. a grove or clump of trees in prairie land or open country.

---

motte British  

/ mɒt /

noun

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

---

Etymology

Origin of motte

An Americanism first recorded in 1830–40; from Mexican Spanish mata; Spanish: “grove, plantation,” perhaps from Late Latin matta mat ¹

Example Sentences

Then we go on and find that there is a near slope to the north-east also, so we have our "moutier" and the almost certain site of our "motte."

From Sketches of Travel in Normandy and Maine by Hutton, William Holden

“Look ’ee hyur, boyees!” said Rube, pointing to the motte; “if ’ee look sharp, yur mout scare up another calf yander away!

From The Scalp Hunters by Stewart, F.A.

The trompettours blowe a fytte or a motte.

From Schools, School-Books and Schoolmasters by Hazlitt, W. Carew

Ben and La Salle hastily passed around the woods surrounding the glade, until they reached the opposite side of the motte to that which Peter was now entering.

From Adrift in the Ice-Fields by Hall, Charles W.

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

From Seven and Nine years Among the Camanches and Apaches An Autobiography by Johnson, Clark, M.D.