chalet
Americannoun
plural
chalets-
a herdsman's hut in the Swiss Alps.
-
a kind of farmhouse, low and with wide eaves, common in Alpine regions.
-
any cottage, house, ski lodge, etc., built in this style.
noun
-
a type of wooden house of Swiss origin, typically low, with wide projecting eaves
-
a similar house used esp as a ski lodge, garden house, etc
Etymology
Origin of chalet
1810–20; < French, SwissF, equivalent to *chale shelter (cognate with Old Provençal cala cove 1 ) + -et -et
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."
Vocabulary lists containing chalet
How the García Girls Lost Their Accents
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
And Both Were Young
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Notes of a Native Son
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Planning permission has been recently granted for a farm shop and deli to make the chalet its home, with the owners hoping to revitalise one of the Isle of Man's beloved beauty spots.
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 iconic French restaurant originally opened downtown in 1927 and relocated to its current chalet on Sunset Boulevard in 1962.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
I don’t mean she naps back at a cozy chalet or even the back seat of a team van.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 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
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.
