château
noun
(in France) a castle or fortress.
château
American
[sha-toh, shah-toh]
/ ʃæˈtoʊ, ʃɑˈtoʊ /
Or
chateau
noun
châteaux,
plural
châteaus
plural
-
(in France) a castle or fortress.
-
a stately residence imitating a distinctively French castle.
-
a country estate, especially a fine one, in France or elsewhere on the Continent.
-
(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.
chateau
British
/ ˈʃætəʊ, ʃɑto /
noun
-
a country house, castle, or manor house, esp in France
-
(in Quebec) the residence of a seigneur or (formerly) a governor
-
(in the name of a wine) estate or vineyard
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of château
1730–40; < French ≪ Latin castellum castellum
Explanation
A chateau is a French country house. Chateaus are large and luxurious. This is one of many English words that come straight from another language: in this case, French. A chateau is a house—or castle—in the country that’s the opposite of a shack. A chateau is a big home for wealthy folks. A poor farmer could never afford a chateau, but a wealthy businessman might have several. However, like a farm, a chateau is in the country. Chateaus are associated with wine; many wines are named after nearby chateaus.
Vocabulary lists containing chateau
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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The Catcher in the Rye
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English Words Derived from French, List 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Maybe, but fortunately for us, the Chateau Marmont no longer allows guests to perform seances.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
I met Gildo Zegna by the pool at the Chateau Marmont, which the previous night had hosted the after-party for the Malibu show.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
The black felt bicorne was presented to the media on Thursday and will be exhibited at the Chateau de Chantilly, north of Paris, later in the year.
From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026
His choice of a 2022 Domaine Leflaive Batard Montrachet is the first white wine he has ever liked, while the red, a 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild from Pauillac in Bordeaux, is particularly poignant.
From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026
There’s the cathedral with its perforated spire, and the bulky old Chateau de Saint-Malo, and row after row of seaside mansions studded with chimneys.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
