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)
Synonyms of châteaunext
1
: a feudal castle or fortress in France
2
: a large country house : mansion
3
: a French vineyard estate

Synonyms of château

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Examples of château in a Sentence

a gorgeous château on a hill
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The dining room is covered in mirrors, much like the French chateau’s Hall of Mirrors. — Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 24 June 2026 This cultural potpourri carried over to Loro Piana’s gala dinner that evening, hosted at a charming chateau. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026 Chateau de Mores The 26-room chateau was the summer home of the French Marquis de Mores and his family. — Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 1 June 2026 With a chateau or Christmas market visit scheduled almost every day, the November and December itineraries have a clear holiday slant. — Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for château

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

Browse Nearby Words

chatbot
château
château bottled
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Cite this Entry

“Château.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ch%C3%A2teau. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

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