chalet

American  

[sha-lay, shal-ay, shah-le] / ʃæˈleɪ, ˈʃæl eɪ, ʃɑˈlɛ /

noun

• chalets
  plural

1. a herdsman's hut in the Swiss Alps.

2. a kind of farmhouse, low and with wide eaves, common in Alpine regions.

3. any cottage, house, ski lodge, etc., built in this style.

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chalet British  

/ ˈʃæleɪ, ʃalɛ /

noun

1. a type of wooden house of Swiss origin, typically low, with wide projecting eaves

2. a similar house used esp as a ski lodge, garden house, etc

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chalets
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of chalet

1810–20; < French, SwissF, equivalent to *chale shelter (cognate with Old Provençal cala cove ¹ ) + -et -et

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Explanation

A chalet is a style of house that's mainly found in the Swiss Alps. Most chalets are made of wood and have a very wide, heavy roof that slopes down. You might think of a chalet as a house you stay in during a ski vacation. Although chalets were originally the modest huts or cottages that Alpine herders lived in, over time the area became popular with skiers and vacationers, and chalet came to mean "mountainside holiday home." In Swiss-French, chalet means "herdsman's hut" or "Alpine cottage," from the Old French word chasel, "farmhouse."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chalet chalets

Italian actor Sophia Loren had a chalet on Burgenstock mountain -- now the site of its Persian restaurant -- while queen Ingrid of Denmark was among the hotel's visitors.

From Barron's ● Jun. 21, 2026

It may come as a surprise to visitors to the Isle of Man to find nestled in a valley of waterfalls, rivers, and trees, a traditional Swiss style chalet.

From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2026

While the facade of the building has changed from a cottage to a chalet in the past 200 years, its origins have a fascinating history.

From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2026

The games will be set in “a luxury chalet in Park City, Utah, with contestants asked to complete a series of “mental and physical challenges over four days,” according to Variety.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026

For her seventh birthday, a tiny wooden chalet stands in the center of the kitchen table where the sugar bowl ought to be.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Visitors were greeted by security forces in flak jackets, some in military camouflage and others toting submachine guns, scattered amid a landscape of green pastures, wooden chalets and snowy peaks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

Through his work at luxury chalets and hotels, he cooked for several celebrities and Premier League players, and one thing led to another.

From BBC ● Dec. 24, 2025

You can make it a base for your visits or stay in the hot springs chalets.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 23, 2024

Beside the springs are cozy cedar chalets to make the hot spring visits convenient.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 23, 2024

The work camps and chalets, the schools and study centers, were never built.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson

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Related Words

• cabin
• hut

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