chalet

noun

cha·​let sha-ˈlā 

ˈsha-(ˌ)lā

1

: a remote herdsman's hut in the Alps

2

a

: a Swiss dwelling with unconcealed structural members and a wide overhang at the front and sides

b

: a cottage or house in chalet style

Illustration of chalet

• chalet 2a

Synonyms

• bach [New Zealand]
• cabin
• camp
• cottage
• lodge

Examples of chalet in a Sentence

We stayed overnight at a ski chalet.

a mountain chalet for weekend getaways

Recent Examples on the Web

In March 1983, on a ski trip to Snowmass, Colo., with his wife and several of the company’s top engineers, Mr. Bell suffered a massive heart attack in his ski chalet and might have died if not for the efforts of Bob Puffer, a company vice president, who revived him with CPR. —Glenn Rifkin, New York Times, 21 May 2024

These traditional stone-and-wooden chalets function as summer homes for farmers who reside upstairs and keep livestock below. —Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

French

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

chalet

noun

cha·​let sha-ˈlā 

ˈshal-ˌā

1

: a herdsman's hut in the Alps away from a town or village

2

a

: a Swiss dwelling with a roof that sticks far out past the walls

b

: a cottage built to look like a chalet