motte-and-bailey

A form of motte and bailey — The predecessor of the European castle, having a raised earth mound (the motte) topped with a tower (or donjon), and a wooden ring fortification surrounding a courtyard (the bailey).

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Meanings

nounmotte-and-bailey (plural mottes-and-baileys)

plural mottes-and-baileys

  1. alternativeAlternative spelling of motte and bailey.
Cite this entry
APA

motte-and-bailey. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motte-and-bailey

MLA

“motte-and-bailey.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motte-and-bailey. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “motte-and-bailey,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/motte-and-bailey.

Source: motte-and-bailey on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.