mottes and baileys

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

noun
  1. pluralplural of motte and bailey
Cite this entry
APA

mottes and baileys. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mottes%20and%20baileys

MLA

“mottes and baileys.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mottes%20and%20baileys. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mottes and baileys,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mottes%20and%20baileys.

Source: mottes and baileys on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.