chalet

[sha-ley, shal-ey, shah-le]

noun

plural

chalets 

1. a herdsman's hut in the Swiss Alps.

2. a kind of farmhouse, low and with wide eaves, common in Alpine regions.

3. any cottage, house, ski lodge, etc., built in this style.

chalet

/ ˈʃæleɪ, ʃalɛ /

noun

1. a type of wooden house of Swiss origin, typically low, with wide projecting eaves

2. a similar house used esp as a ski lodge, garden house, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of chalet¹

1810–20; < French, SwissF, equivalent to *chale shelter (cognate with Old Provençal cala cove ¹ ) + -et -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of chalet¹

C19: from French (Swiss dialect)

Example Sentences

"There was nothing on this. This was a dump," says Jimmy Stringfellow as he stands by the chalet he built near Glasgow's River Clyde.

From BBC

Switzerland may be known for its snow-covered mountains, cosy chalets and world-class skiing, but the sun-scorched country is looking very different for Euro 2025.

From BBC

As ever, the fight choreography is fantastic, especially when Eve arrives in a Stepford-esque ski chalet town where every husband, wife and child has been trained in combat.

From Los Angeles Times

And the fourth day was that scene in the chalet with the Fireflies and Joel on the floor.

From Los Angeles Times

Winter finds them in a chalet up a snowy mountain, with a return to the lake house for circular closure.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cabin 
• hut