French word

château

Pronunciation

IPA/ʃato/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncastle

Example

Le château est ancien.

The castle is old.

Illustration for château (castle)

More examples

Le château produit un bon vin.

The castle produces a good wine.

Core concept

A grand old property that can suggest towers and walls or the vineyard estate identified by its name.

Common phrases

  • dans le château

    in the castle

  • la porte du château

    the castle gate

  • visiter le château

    visit the castle

Similar words

maison: A building where a family lives as its regular home.
appartement: One self-contained home in a larger residential building.
hôtel: An establishment that provides paid rooms for travelers and brief stays.
domaine: An owned property including land and buildings, sometimes producing wine.

Definition in French

Grande résidence historique, souvent fortifiée, et parfois le nom d'un domaine viticole.

Word origin

The noun comes through Old French from Latin castellum, and its meaning broadened from a fortified residence to a named wine-producing estate.

Usage tips

  • On a wine label, Château before a name usually identifies the estate or producer and does not guarantee that a castle-like building remains there.

Other meanings

  • manor housenoun
  • winerynoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word