château

noun

châ·​teau sha-ˈtō 

plural châteaus sha-ˈtōz  or châteaux sha-ˈtō(z) 

1

: a feudal castle or fortress in France

2

: a large country house : mansion

3

: a French vineyard estate

Synonyms of château

• mansion
• castle
• villa
• manor
• hacienda
• house
• housing
• palace
• estate

Examples of château in a Sentence

a gorgeous château on a hill

Recent Examples on the Web

But in the late 1800s, the city’s draw was healing mineral springs, not IPAs, which is why George Vanderbilt built his lavish 250-room French Renaissance chateau here. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Oct. 2026

Inside, the living room is anchored by an intricate 18th-century limestone fireplace from a chateau in France’s Loire Valley. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2026

Sitting on a hilltop in Huntington, New York on Long Island, the castle is built in the style of a French chateau, and has also been a popular filming destination for Hollywood. — Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2026

Bits of narration from an offscreen speaker give the film a fairytale feel, a vibe matched by the rustic splendor of its chateau setting, where Camilo (García Bernal) lives with his athlete wife Jauna (Esmerelda Pimentel) and baby daughter. — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from Old French chastel, Latin castellum fortress

First Known Use

1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

château

noun

châ·​teau sha-ˈtō 

plural châteaus -ˈtōz  or châteaux -ˈtō(z) 

: a castle or a large country house especially in France

Etymology

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