côteau

A form of coteau — A hilly upland including the divide between two valleys.

Meanings

nouncôteau (plural côteaux)

plural côteaux

  1. rareRare form of coteau.

    The côteaux lay smiling in the dewy sparkle of the morning sunshine, and all glad and beautiful with the coming spring.

    1876, [Maria M. Grant], “One Word—Farewell”, in The Sun-Maid. A Romance., volume III, London: Richard Bentley and Son, […], page 53
    2 more examples

    In every direction along the côteaux which skirt this beautiful drive, we find country-houses, whose situations are judiciously chosen in reference to the views and freedom from atmospheric inconveniences.

    1842, A[lexander] Taylor, On the Curative Influence of the Climate of Pau, and the Mineral Waters of the Pyrenees, on Disease. […], London: John W. Parker, […], page 334

    […] thence, at fourteen miles from the St. Lawrence it reaches the Kempt Road near the sixteenth mile post, after traversing a series of côteaux of gentle acclivity, excepting that nearest to Paquet’s Brook, which is objectionable on account of its steepness, but could not be avoided; […]

    1858 February 22, G. F. Baillargé, “I.”, in General Report of the Commissioners of Public Works, for the Year Ending 31st December, 1857: Furnished in Compliance with the Provisions of the Act, 9 Vict. Cap. 7, Toronto, Ont.: John Lovell, […], page 74

Origin

  1. Frenchcôteau
  2. Englishcôteau

From French côteau.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

côteau. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/c%C3%B4teau

MLA

“côteau.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/c%C3%B4teau. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “côteau,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/c%C3%B4teau.

Source: côteau on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.