château

noun

châ·​teau sha-ˈtō How to pronounce château (audio)
plural châteaus sha-ˈtōz How to pronounce château (audio) or châteaux sha-ˈtō(z) How to pronounce château (audio)
1
: a feudal castle or fortress in France
2
: a large country house : mansion
3
: a French vineyard estate

Examples of château in a Sentence

a gorgeous château on a hill
Recent Examples on the Web The chateau was built using rough-cut Fall River granite that gave the home an almost rugged look and feel—a far cry from the other seaside villas in Newport. Claudia Williams, Architectural Digest, 6 Aug. 2024 On Thursday afternoon, the two stars, along with their director, met members of the press to discuss the movie, which is set in 1792 when the two main characters and their children were arrested and imprisoned in a chateau in Paris, awaiting their trial. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 But the film is set in 1792 when the two and their children were arrested and imprisoned in a chateau in Paris, awaiting their trial. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Aug. 2024 The chateau was a family-run hotel for many years, and the adult daughter had mostly been running it as a horse training property. Leigh Nordstrom, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019 Tucked into the side of the chateau was a marble paradise. Keyaira Boone, Essence, 12 July 2024 The Norumbega: Camden, Maine Formally restored in May 2023, this 11-room inn is a year-round escape housed within a fairytale chateau originally built in 1887. Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024 Situated in the picturesque Charente region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the 13th-century chateau has already gained a loyal following. Siobhan Reid, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2024 The band recorded it with producer James Ford in a Paris chateau over another month. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 4 July 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'château.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French chastel, Latin castellum fortress

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of château was in 1720

Dictionary Entries Near château

Cite this Entry

“Château.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ch%C3%A2teau. Accessed 18 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

château

noun
châ·​teau sha-ˈtō How to pronounce château (audio)
plural châteaus -ˈtōz How to pronounce château (audio) or châteaux -ˈtō(z) How to pronounce château (audio)
: a castle or a large country house especially in France
Etymology

French, from early French chastel "castle," from Latin castellum "fortress" — related to castle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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