Chateaus

/ʃæˈtoʊz/ noun

Definition

The plural of château; multiple large, impressive country houses or castles, typically French in style with formal gardens.

Etymology

English plural of the French word 'château' (castle/manor), using the English '-s' ending rather than the French plural 'châteaux.' Both plurals are accepted in English.

Kelly Says

English borrowed 'château' but then added its own plural '-s' instead of using the French plural—this is called 'back-formation' and shows how English aggressively naturalizes foreign words into its own grammar, making them feel less foreign through familiar morphology.

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