moorish
moorish Lexical Profile
moorish Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
(Capitalized as 'Moorish') Relating to the Moors, the Muslim inhabitants of northwestern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages, or to their distinctive style of art and architecture characterized by horseshoe arches, intricate geometric tilework, and courtyards.
"The palace in Granada is famous for its stunning Moorish architecture and shaded courtyards."
Resembling or characteristic of a moor; abounding in heather, peat, or boggy, uncultivated upland.
"The hikers made their way carefully across the damp, moorish terrain before sunset."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized ('Moorish'), the word refers to the historical Moors of North Africa and medieval Spain or their distinctive architectural style; when lowercase ('moorish'), it describes wet, marshy moorland or is an alternative spelling of the British informal word 'moreish' (meaning so tasty that one wants more).
• Rhymes for moorish
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The geographical sense derives from Old English 'mor' (meaning moor or marsh) combined with the suffix '-ish', whereas the capitalized cultural sense comes from 'Moor' (via Old French 'More' and Latin 'Maurus', originally denoting an inhabitant of ancient Mauretania in North Africa).