Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

neufchâtel

/ˈnʌ(f).ʃɑ.tɛl/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: neufcha-tel
IPA: /ˈnʌ(f).ʃɑ.tɛl/

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

name

A soft, slightly crumbly, mould-ripened cheese made in the French region of Normandy.

Example Sentences

"They gave us some such eggs, cream like a custard, and a Neufchâtel cheese; some brown, but such sweet bread;—we never enjoyed a meal so much."

Etymology

French, from the region Neufchâtel-en-Bray in Normandy. The placename is originally inspired by the Celtic/Gaulish name Novientum (“new establishment”), reflecting its beginnings as a primitive Gaulish settlement in ancient Normandy. In the 12th century, Henry I Beauclerc, Duke of Normandy, constructed a castle there, initially named Chastel-Nof which evolved into Neufcastel by the 13th century. Over time, the pronunciation shifted, muting the [f] in neuf, resulting in the modern Neufchâtel, a change influenced by educational standardization similar to other toponyms like Neuchâtel. Compare English Newcastle.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Root: -

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈnʌ(f).ʃɑ.tɛl/
British English: /ˈnɜː(f).ʃə.tɛl/

Questions

How do you pronounce neufchâtel?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈnʌ(f).ʃɑ.tɛl/.
What does neufchâtel mean?: A soft, slightly crumbly, mould-ripened cheese made in the French region of Normandy.
Where does neufchâtel come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce neufchâtel

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “neufchâtel”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈnʌ(f).ʃɑ.tɛl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “neufchâtel”.
Repeat and practice — Say “neufchâtel” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.