coteau

1 9.9

A small sloping hill where people grow grapes for wine

noun
/koʊˈtoʊ/

Canadian

: coteau

Many famous French wines come from grapes grown on a coteau with perfect sun exposure.

Examples

Many vineyards are located on the steep coteaux of the region.
The winery planted chardonnay across the sunlit coteau to produce richer grapes this season.
From the top of the coteau, you could see rows of grapevines stretching into the distance.
The coteau offered a stunning view of the valley.
The vineyard was planted on a steep coteau to take advantage of the sunlight.
The farmers cultivated their crops on the fertile slopes of the coteau overlooking the valley.
As we drove up the coteau, we enjoyed the panoramic views of the countryside below.

Synonyms

slope

vscoteau

136 1.4

A part of land that goes up or down like the side of a hill

is a small sloping hill often used for vineyards or farming

hillside

vscoteau

59 1.0

A sloping side of a hill

is a small sloping hill often used for vineyards or farming

hurst

vscoteau

Archaic

1 9.6

A small hill covered with trees

is a similar small rise but usually open and farmed

How Big

mountain

∞ 1.0

hill

852 1.0

coteau

Canadian

1 9.9

knoll

13 7.2

mound

41 1.7

Surface Forms

coteau singular

coteaux plural

Etymology

The word coteau comes from French cote meaning 'side' or 'slope' and from Latin costa meaning 'rib' or 'side', and it is like the English word coast, which also comes from the idea of a 'side'. So a coteau is a small hillside or sloping side of land often used to grow grapes.