A small grove or clump of trees, especially on a prairie or plain.
From Spanish 'mata' meaning bush or shrub, which entered American English through Mexican Spanish in the 19th century. The word was particularly used in Texas and the American Southwest to describe isolated tree clusters in grasslands.
Motts were crucial landmarks for early travelers crossing the vast American prairies, serving as shelter, water sources, and navigation points. The word is so tied to Texas geography that many Texas place names include 'Mott,' preserving this piece of Spanish linguistic heritage in American English.
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