Usually means: Castle with protected surrounding land.
Definitions Related words Mentions
We found 6 dictionaries that define the word motte and bailey:

General (4 matching dictionaries)
  1. motte and bailey: Merriam-Webster
  2. motte-and-bailey: Oxford Learner's Dictionaries
  3. motte and bailey: Wiktionary
  4. Motte and Bailey, Motte-and-bailey, Motte and bailey: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

Art (1 matching dictionary)
  1. motte-and-bailey: Glossary of Medieval Art and Architecture

Tech (1 matching dictionary)
  1. motte-and-bailey: Glossary of Medieval Architecture

Definitions from Wiktionary (motte and bailey)

noun:  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).
noun:  A form of argument and an informal fallacy where an arguer conflates two similar positions, one modest and easier to defend (the "motte") and one much more controversial (the "bailey"), by advancing the controversial position, but when challenged, insisting that they are only advancing the more modest position.

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