cheval de bataille

\ʃə.val də ba.taj\

/\ʃə.val də ba.taj\/ noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

The verdict

“cheval de bataille” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
18
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Cheval spécialement entraîné pour servir au combat.

Key facts for cheval de bataille
PropertyValue
Headwordcheval de bataille
LanguageFrench
Part of speechNoun
IPA\ʃə.val də ba.taj\
Letters18
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “cheval de bataille” sits in French frequency

cheval de bataille falls outside the top-100,000 ranked French words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

cheval de bataille is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed \ʃə.val də ba.taj\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for cheval de bataille in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular French conventions. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

No borrowing history is documented for this entry, so its spelling pattern is best understood through pronunciation rather than a traceable origin. The correct French form is cheval de bataille, spelled C-H-E-V-A-L- -D-E- -B-A-T-A-I-L-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Cheval spécialement entraîné pour servir au combat.
  2. 2
    Combat, thème favori pour défendre une cause.
  3. 3
    Argument, sujet, point de vue dans une discussion ; thème de prédilection.

Synonyms

destrierdada

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "cheval de bataille"?
"cheval de bataille" is spelled C-H-E-V-A-L- -D-E- -B-A-T-A-I-L-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is \ʃə.val də ba.taj\.
What does "cheval de bataille" mean?
As a noun, "cheval de bataille" means: Cheval spécialement entraîné pour servir au combat.
How do you pronounce "cheval de bataille"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "cheval de bataille" is \ʃə.val də ba.taj\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "cheval de bataille" come from?
"cheval de bataille" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “cheval de bataille”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct French spelling is C-H-E-V-A-L- -D-E- -B-A-T-A-I-L-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as \ʃə.val də ba.taj\ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more French words and confusable pairs in the same reference. French words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list