a Swiss house with a sloping roof and wide eaves or a house built in this style
"The family spent their summer vacation at a cozy chalet nestled on the side of the Alps."
An alpine style of wooden building with a sloping roof and overhanging eaves.
"The travelers arrived at their cozy chalet, an alpine style of wooden building with a sloping roof and overhanging eaves that sheltered them from the mountain snow."
In plain English: A chalet is a small, cozy house with sloping roofs that you often find in snowy mountain areas for skiing or hiking.
"We spent our family vacation in a cozy chalet high up in the Alps."
Usage: While often used to describe any mountain cabin, the term specifically refers to traditional Swiss or Alpine architecture rather than generic rustic structures elsewhere. Avoid using "chalet" as an adjective before nouns like "house"; instead, say "a chalet-style house."
The word entered English via French and originally referred to a herdsman's hut located in the mountains. Today it commonly describes any small mountain house or vacation cabin.