moat /məʊt $ moʊt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: mote , motte 'small hill (on which a castle was built)' ]
1 . a deep wide hole, usually filled with water, dug around a castle as a defence
2 . a deep wide hole dug around an area used for animals in a ↑ zoo to stop them from escaping
—moated adjective