château

American  

[sha-toh, shah-toh] / ʃæˈtoʊ, ʃɑˈtoʊ /

Or chateau

noun

plural

châteaux, châteaus

1. (in France) a castle or fortress.

2. a stately residence imitating a distinctively French castle.

3. a country estate, especially a fine one, in France or elsewhere on the Continent.

4. (often initial capital letter) a winegrower's estate, especially in the Bordeaux region of France: often used as part of the name of a wine.

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chateau British  

/ ˈʃætəʊ, ʃɑto /

noun

1. a country house, castle, or manor house, esp in France

2. (in Quebec) the residence of a seigneur or (formerly) a governor

3. (in the name of a wine) estate or vineyard

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Etymology

Origin of château

1730–40; < French ≪ Latin castellum castellum

Example Sentences

I slipped on waterproof shoes, grabbed a pair of shears and, still in my pajamas, tiptoed down the grand staircase of the château and out onto the dewy grass of the garden.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Established as an inn that served the lords of King Henry III, it became known as the Hostellerie de la Tour d’Argent, or silver tower, after an adjacent château that was built of silvery stone.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2024

Vietnamese-French director Tràn Anh Hùng took best director for “Pot-au-Feu,” a lush, foodie love story starring Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel and set in a 19th century French gourmet château.

From Washington Times • May 28, 2023

Mohammed bin Salman flew into Orly airport, south of Paris, the night before the talks and stayed at a luxurious château at Louveciennes, west of Paris.

From BBC • Jul. 28, 2022

They've reserved two rooms for the week at the Saint James Paris, an exclusive château hotel.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins