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