chatelaine meaning (dated): definition, etymology and quotations

chatelaine

noun

UK /ˈʃætəleɪn/ · US /ˈʃætəˌleɪn/

Etymology ] Borrowed from French châtelaine, the feminine form of châtelain (“castle-keeper, castellan; one living in a castle”), from Medieval Latin castellanus (“occupants of a castle”), from castellum (“castle, fort”) (diminutive of castrum (“castle, fort”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱes- (“to cut off, separate”)) + -ānus (“of or pertaining to”). By surface analysis, Old French chatel + French -aine.

Dated The mistress of a castle or large household.

Gerard returned safely to his native land, and in the fantastic spirit of the times, he approached his own castle disguised as a pilgrim, intending to himself and his Chatelaine, the delight of a romantic surprise. […] He accordingly repaired, in the silent hour of midnight, when the castle was wrapped in sleep, to the well-remembered chamber of the Chatelaine. She was not alone. A handsome young page supplied the place of her long-absent lord. In the excess of his rage, Gerard killed his wife on the spot, but reserved the page for a more lingering revenge.1831, Thomas Colley Grattan, chapter VIII, in The Heiress of Bruges; a Tale of the Year Sixteen Hundred. … In Three Volumes, 2nd edition, volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, page 213:
[A] detachment of the Imperial army, under Francis Wesselény, was ordered to attack the castle. Having made the most elaborate preparations, he summoned the garrison to surrender; the refusal was haughty and uncompromising, and, to the surprise of Wesselény, dictated by the Chatelaine herself, who personally conducted its defence. To be foiled by a woman, little suited his proud nature; but all efforts to effect a breach in the massive walls of the stronghold were ineffectual, and every attack gallantly repulsed.1843 January, “Art. IV.—The City of the Magyar. By Miss [Julia] Pardoe. London: Virtue. 1841. 2. The Hungarian Castle. By Miss Pardoe. London: Boone.”, in The Church of England Quarterly Review, volume XIII, London: William Edward Painter, […], →OCLC, page 74:

1 more example

Cars passed her on the road; the people of the quarry town knew her and bowed to her; she was considered the chatelaine of the countryside, as her mother had been long ago.1943, Ayn Rand, chapter 1, in The Fountainhead, Indianapolis, Ind.: Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, part 2 (Ellsworth M. Toohey), page 206; republished as chapter 1, in The Fountainhead (New American Library), New York, N.Y.: Berkley Books, September 2016, →ISBN:

Historical A chain or clasp worn at the waist by women with handkerchief, keys, etc., attached, supposed to resemble the chain of keys once worn by medieval chatelaines.

This elegant little appendage to the dress, large enough to contain a handkerchief and purse, is deserving of being as generally adopted in the United States as it has recently been in Paris. […] Both sides of the Chatelaine are embroidered alike. […] The hook attaches this Chatelaine to the wristband.1854 July, Mrs. Pullan, “Embroidered Chatelaine”, in Peterson’s Magazine, volume XXVI, number 1, Philadelphia, Pa.: Charles J[acobs] Peterson, →OCLC, page 54:
The latest fashion is to wear watches suspended from the chatelaine. The chatelaine is short, and ornamented with charms.1869 September, “Chitchat on Fashions for September”, in Sarah J[osepha] Hale, Louis A[ntoine] Godey, editors, Godey’s Lady’s Book and Magazine, volume LXXIX, number 471, Philadelphia, Pa.: Published by Louis A. Godey, […], →OCLC, page 280, column 1:

3 more examples

If we examine the relics of antique chatelaines in the Hotel Cluny and other museums, we observe serviceable articles, as scissors, étui, pomander-box (for sudden illness), and keys that would break the delicate fingers of a modern belle to handle. For the chatelaine was then responsible for the health and welfare of her people in times of war and of peace; her duties were as varied as they were unceasing.1874 March, “Chitchat on Fashions for March”, in Sarah J[osepha] Hale, Louis A[ntoine] Godey, editors, Godey’s Lady’s Book and Magazine, volume LXXXVIII, number 525, Philadelphia, Pa.: Published by Louis A. Godey, […], →OCLC, page 293, column 1:
Châtelaines are generally lovely things, but for our part we can never look upon them without feeling them to be more or less of a reproach to our modern want of thrift.1876 August, Blanche Murphy, “The Age of Knickknacks”, in Lippincott’s Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, volume XVIII, Philadelphia, Pa.: J. B. Lippincott and Co., →OCLC, page 199:
The famous novelist was dressed in a badly fitting sleazy purple dress and a shapeless Napoleonic hat, with gloves and a long chatelaine; but the costume only heightened her air of distinction.1970, John Glassco, chapter 5, in Memoirs of Montparnasse, Toronto, Ont.; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, →ISBN; republished as Memoirs of Montparnasse (New York Review Books Classics), New York, N.Y.: New York Review Books, 2007, →ISBN, page 33:

A similar thing in miniature attached to a watchchain.

A French fashion is now busy investing the large body of French gentlemen with Chatelaines. These do not hang, as with English ladies, from the waist, but from the waistcoat pocket. They are generally attached to the watch—or, supposing the gentleman has no such useful appendage for killing time, then they are fastened to the waistcoat-button, and allowed to dangle gracefully therefrom.1847, “Chatelaines for Gentlemen”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume XVI (New Library Series), number 405, London: Punch Office, […], and Bradbury, Evans, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 153, column 1:
The Swiss jewellery chiefly consisted of châtelaines or watch pendants, having no very distinct style or character, but embracing examples of all styles, both ancient and modern; […] One of the chief attractions in the collection were the examples of châtelaines attached to watch cases, ornamented in a similar style.1874, “Artizans’ Report upon the Vienna Exhibition”, in The Practical Magazine: An Illustrated Cyclopædia of Industrial News, Inventions and Improvements, Collected from Foreign and British Sources, …, volume 3, number 18, London: Published for the proprietary by Simpkin, Marshall and Co., […]; W. P. Bennett & Co., […], →OCLC, page 463, column 1:

Related terms: chatelet, chatellany