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 Savor fresh French cuisine The chateau’s seasonal and mostly local food is one of the highlights of a stay. Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024 The ex-Hollywood super couple quickly became locked in a bitter, years-long legal battle over custody and their winery and chateau in the South of France. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 30 July 2024 Surrounded by vineyards, the secluded chateau is a buyout-only private retreat. Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 20 Sep. 2024 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

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 4 Oct. 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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