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

Fleuropean retreats run from $3,600 for five days and include accommodation at a picture-perfect château, all-you-can-pick flowers, one-on-one guidance from Avenson and meals, including morning deliveries of breakfast pastries, quiches and triple-crème cheeses.

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

He took his "title" not from a château, but from the cottage where he first saw light of day.

From BBC • Jul. 2, 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