château

American  

[sha-toh, shah-toh] / ʃæˈtoʊ, ʃɑˈtoʊ /

Or chateau

noun

plural

châteaux, châteaus

1. (in France) a castle or fortress.

2. a stately residence imitating a distinctively French castle.

3. a country estate, especially a fine one, in France or elsewhere on the Continent.

4. (often initial capital letter) a winegrower's estate, especially in the Bordeaux region of France: often used as part of the name of a wine.

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chateau British  

/ ˈʃætəʊ, ʃɑto /

noun

1. a country house, castle, or manor house, esp in France

2. (in Quebec) the residence of a seigneur or (formerly) a governor

3. (in the name of a wine) estate or vineyard

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Etymology

Origin of château

1730–40; < French ≪ Latin castellum castellum

Explanation

A chateau is a French country house. Chateaus are large and luxurious. This is one of many English words that come straight from another language: in this case, French. A chateau is a house—or castle—in the country that’s the opposite of a shack. A chateau is a big home for wealthy folks. A poor farmer could never afford a chateau, but a wealthy businessman might have several. However, like a farm, a chateau is in the country. Chateaus are associated with wine; many wines are named after nearby chateaus.

Example Sentences

Perched in his art-filled château in the south of France, the British expatriate spent years hurling invectives at, falling out with or blatantly undermining an astonishing number of people.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

Even at the turn of the century, schools typically were not erected on such prime real estate, but the building originally was intended to be a luxury hotel designed to invoke a French château.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 29, 2024

Established as an inn that served the lords of King Henry III, it became known as the Hostellerie de la Tour d’Argent, or silver tower, after an adjacent château that was built of silvery stone.

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2024

Vietnamese-French director Tràn Anh Hùng took best director for “Pot-au-Feu,” a lush, foodie love story starring Juliette Binoche and Benoît Magimel and set in a 19th century French gourmet château.

From Washington Times • May 28, 2023

They've reserved two rooms for the week at the Saint James Paris, an exclusive château hotel.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins