English
château
Château comes from French château ‘castle’, from Latin castrum ‘fort’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- ‘to cut’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱes-‘to cut’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱstromreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kastrom‘part, share of something’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcastrum‘fort’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcastellum‘castle, fort, citadel, fortress, stronghold’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400chastel‘castle, fortress’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600chasteau
- Frenchc. 1600–presentchâteau‘castle’
- Englishearliest quotation 2004same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱes-‘to cut’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱstromreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kastrom‘part, share of something’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcastrum‘fort’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcastellum‘castle, fort, citadel, fortress, stronghold’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400chastel‘castle, fortress’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600chasteau
- Frenchc. 1600–presentchâteau‘castle’
- Englishearliest quotation 2004same form
Earliest quotation: 2004, David Mitchell, Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery: “Luisa has reread Sixsmith’s letters a dozen or so…”
The story
Originated 1730–40.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- ‘to cut’
caste, chastity, caries, chaste, chastise, cassation, 20 more
through Proto-Italic *kastrom ‘part, share of something’
through Latin castrum ‘fort’
through Latin castellum ‘castle, fort, citadel, fortress, stronghold’
Today it means
noun A French castle, fortress, manor house, or large country house.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- / château