Meaning
moat, ditch
- a deep, wide ditch surrounding a castle or town, typically filled with water
- a long, narrow trench or ditch dug in the ground
In a sentence
Il castello medievale era interamente circondato da un profondo fossato pieno d'acqua.
The medieval castle was entirely surrounded by a deep moat filled with water.
Hanno scavato un fossato lungo il perimetro per drenare l'acqua piovana.
They dug a ditch along the perimeter to drain rainwater.
È possibile attraversare il vecchio fossato grazie a un ponte levatoio restaurato?
Is it possible to cross the old moat thanks to a restored drawbridge?
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| fossato | masculine · singular |
| fossati | masculine · plural |
Usage notes
- Commonly used to describe the defensive ditch or moat around historic fortifications.
- For small agricultural drainage ditches, 'fosso' or 'fossa' is often used instead.