The ch digraph in English represents at least three phonemes, and a particularly less common phoneme for it is /ʃ/, as opposed to /tʃ/ or /k/, the latter mostly in words of Greek origin. Almost all terms in this list are loanwords from Modern French; some, like Chicago and Michigan, originated as French transliterations of words from other languages. Formerly, /tʃ/ was the usual pronunciation of for ch in French, but has been /ʃ/ for centuries. (Currently French uses the trigraph tch for /tʃ/.)
| Term | Meaning | Pronunciations |
|---|---|---|
| accouchement | in childbed; parturition. | /a.kuʃ.ˈmɑœn/ |
| avalanche | A large mass or body of snow and ice sliding swiftly down a mountain side, or falling down a precipice. | /ˈævəlɑːnʃ/, /ˈævəlæntʃ/ |
| babiche | Thongs of rawhide or sinew used as cord, lacing, or webbing, in the manufacture of snowshoes, etc. | /bəˈbiːʃ/, /bæˈbiːʃ/ |
| brioche | A type of bun, of French origin. | /ˈbɹi.oʊʃ/ |
| brochure | A booklet of printed informational matter. | /bɹoʊˈʃʊɚ/, /bɹoʊˈʃɝ/ |
| caché | A concealed storage of objects that may be required. | /kæʃ/, /kæɪʃ/ |
| cachet | Prestige. | /kæˈʃeɪ/, /ˈkæʃ.eɪ/ |
| cartouche | An ornamental figure, often on an oval shield. | /kɑɹˈtuʃ/, /kɑːˈtuːʃ/ |
| chagrin | Distress of a mind; a type of leather; to vex or mortify. | /ʃəˈɡɹɪn/, /ˈʃæɡ.ɹɪn/ |
| chaise | A particular horse-drawn carriage. | /ʃeɪz/ |
| chalet châlet |
An alpine style of wooden building with a sloping roof and overhanging eaves. | /ʃæleɪ/ |
| challis | A light, soft fabric having a printed design. | /ˈʃæ.li/ |
| chamade | A signal sounded on a drum or trumpet inviting a parley. | /ʃəˈmɑːd/ |
| chambray | A soft fabric woven with a white weft and colored warp. | /ˈʃæmbɹeɪ/ |
| chamois | A short-horned goat antelope; a type of leather of this goat antelope. | /ˈʃæmwɑː/, /ˈʃæmi/ |
| champagne | An alcoholic drink. | /ʃæmˈpeɪn/ |
| chandelier | A branched lighting fixture. | /ʃændəˈlɪə(ɹ)/ |
| Chanel | A luxury fashion and fragrance brand. | /ʃəˈnel/ |
| chanterelle | An edible mushroom. | /ˌʃɑ̃ːn.təˈrel/, /ʃɒntəˈɹɛl/, /ˈtʃæntəɹɛl/ |
| chanty | Alternative spelling of shanty; a sailor's song. | /ˈʃæntɪ/ |
| chaparral | A region of shrubs. | /ˌʃæpəˈɹæl/, /ˌtʃæpəˈɹæl/ – A loanword from Spanish, where ⟨ch⟩ represents /tʃ/ as in English; the pronunciation with /ʃ/ is a hyperforeignism. |
| chapeau | A hat. | /ʃæˈpoʊ/ |
| chaperone | Older person accompanying younger people to ensure their proper behaviors. | /ˈʃæ.pəˌɹoʊn/ |
| charade | Something apparently real but based on pretence. | /ʃəˈɹɑːd/, /ʃəˈɹeɪd/, /ʃɚˈɹeɪd/ |
| charcuterie | A selection of cured meats, often served with cheese, fruits, nuts, and crackers. | /ʃɑɹˈkutəɹi/, /ʃɑɹˈkuɾəɹi/, /ʃɑːɹˌk(j)uːtəˈɹiː/, /ʃɑːɹˈk(j)uːtəɹi/ |
| Chardonnay chardonnay |
A green‐skinned grape variety used to make a white wine; a variety of wine made from this grape. | /ˌʃɑː(ɹ)dəˈneɪ/ |
| chargé d'affaires | A diplomat, ranking below an ambassador, who heads a diplomatic mission. | /ʃɑrˈʒeɪ dəˈfɛɹ/ |
| charlatan | A trickster; one who falsely uses a role. | /ˈʃɑɹlətən/ |
| Charlemagne | boy's name. | /ˈʃɑːrləmeɪn/, /ʃɑːrləˈmeɪn/ |
| Charlene | Feminine name. | /ʃɑɹˈlin/ |
| Charlotte charlotte |
Feminine name; largest city in North Carolina. A dessert. |
/ˈʃɑrlət/, /ˈʃɑːlət/, /ˈʃaːlət/, /ˈʃarlət/ |
| chasseur | A fighter equipped for rapid movements; a servant or attendant. | /ʃaˈsəː/ |
| chateau château |
A castle, fortress, manor house or large country house. | /ˈʃæːtɔ/, /ʃæːˈtɔ/, /ʃæːˈto/ |
| chauffeur | Driver employed to pilot a private automobile of executive or luxurious class. | /ʃɒˈfɜː/, /ˈʃəʊfə/, /ʃoʊˈfɜ˞/, /ˈʃoʊfə˞/ |
| chauvinism | Excessive patriotism; eagerness for national superiority. Unwarranted bias, favouritism or devotion to something. |
/ˈʃəʊ.vɪ.nɪ.zəm/, /ˈʃəʊ.və.nɪ.zəm/, /ˈʃoʊ.vɪˌnɪzm̩/ |
| chef | A chief cook; a chief. | /ʃɛf/ |
| chemise | A type of undergarment; a particular dress. | /ʃəˈmiːz/ |
| chenille | An extremely soft and bunchy fabric often used to make sweaters. | /ʃəˈniːl/ |
| Cheri | Feminine name. | /ʃəˈɹiː/ |
| cheroot | A cigar with both ends open. | /ʃɛˈɹuːt/ |
| chevalier | A knight or cavalier. | /ˌʃɛvəˈlɪɹ/ |
| cheviot | A coarse woolen fabric made from the wool of Cheviot sheep. | /ˈʃɛviət/, /ˈt͡ʃɛviət/ |
| Chevrolet | an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM) | /ˌʃɛvɹəˈleɪ/ |
| chevron | A V‐shaped pattern, marking or heraldic charge. | /ˈʃɛvɹən/ |
| chevronel | A heraldic charge similar to a chevron, but narrower. | /ˌʃɛvɹəˈnɛl/ |
| chic | Stylish or elegant. Good form or style. | /ʃiːk/ |
| Chicago | An American city in Illinois. | /ʃəˈkɔːɡoʊ/ |
| chicane | A temporary barrier, or serpentine curve; chicanery. To use tricks or subterfuge; to deceive. |
/ʃɪˈkeɪn/, /t͡ʃɪˈkeɪn/ |
| chicanery | Deception by use of trickeries, quibbling, or subterfuges. | /ʃɪˈkeɪ.nɹ.i/, /ʃɪˈkeɪ.nə.ɹi/ |
| chiffon | A sheer silk or rayon fabric. | /ʃɪˈfɑn/, /ˈʃɪfɑn/ |
| chivalry (also chivalrous) | An ethic code of virtues; courteous behaviour. | /ˈʃɪvəlri/ |
| chute | A framework, trough, or tube, upon or through which objects are made to slide downwards. | /ʃuːt/ |
| cliché cliche |
Something that is overused or used outside its original context, so that its original impact and meaning are lost. | /ˈkliːʃeɪ/, /kliːˈʃeɪ/ |
| crèche | A representation of the Nativity scene. | /kɹɛʃ/ |
| crème fraîche | A slightly soured thick cream. | /ˌkɹɛm ˈfɹɛʃ/ |
| crochet | Needlework made by looping thread with a hooked needle. | /kɹoʊˈʃeɪ/ |
| douche (also douchebag) | A directed jet or current of water or vapor. | /duːʃ/ |
| echelon | A level or rank in an organization, profession, or society. | /ˈɛʃ.əˌlɑn/ |
| fiche and microfiche | A sheet of microfilm holding several hundred reduced images of document pages | /fiːʃ/ |
| flèche | Any of the twenty-four points on a backgammon board. | /flɛʃ/, /fleɪʃ/ |
| fuchsia | A genus of flowering shrub. | /fjuːʃə/ |
| galoche | A trickster; one who falsely uses a rôle. | /ɡəˈlɒʃ/ |
| gauche | An overshoe worn in wetness; a gaiter or legging. | /ɡəʊʃ/ |
| gouache | A thick, opaque watercolour paint. | /ɡwɑʃ/ |
| guiche | A kiss-curl | /ɡiːʃ/ |
| guilloche | A fine engraving pattern of spirals, intertwining bands, etc. | /ɡɪˈlɒʃ/ |
| louche | Of questionable taste or morality. | /luːʃ/ |
| machete | A kind of tool that functions as a sword. | /məˈʃɛ.ti/ |
| machine (also machinery, machinist) | An electric or mechanic device that assists with or performs tasks. | /məˈʃiːn/ |
| machinery | Those devices collectively constituting a production apparatus; collectively the functioning parts of that device. | /mə.ˈʃi.nə.ɹi/ |
| marchioness | Wife of a marquess. | /ˈmɑɹʃənis/, /mɑɹʃəˈnɛs/ |
| Michelin | a French tyre manufacturer based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne région of France | /ˈmɪʃəlɪn/ |
| Michelle | Feminine name. | /mɪˈʃɛl/ |
| Michigan | A state in the United States of America. | /ˈmɪʃɪɡən/ |
| moustache mustache |
A layer of hairs located shortly above the upper lip. | /ˈmʌstæʃ/, /ˈmʊstɑːʃ/ |
| niche (some speakers) | A cavity, hollow, or recess. A function within an ecological system to which an organism is especially suited. Any position of opportunity for which one is well‐suited. |
/niːʃ/, /niʃ/, /nɪʃ/ |
| nonchalance | Indifference, carelessness or coolness. | /ˈnɒnʃələns/, /ˌnɑːnʃəˈlɑːns/ |
| nonchalant | Casually calm and relaxed; indifferent or unconcerned. | /ˌnɑn.ʃəˈlɑnt/ |
| nouveau riche | New money. | /ˌnuː.vəʊ ˈɹiːʃ/ |
| panache | A plume on a helmet, used for decoration. | /pəˈnæʃ/, /pəˈnɑːʃ/ |
| parachute | A device which can emit a cloth for wind resistance. | /ˈpærəʃuːt/ |
| parachutist | A person who uses a parachute to jump from an aircraft. | /pærəˈʃuːtɪst/ |
| parfleche | A form of stiff leather made from rawhide. | /pɑɹˈflɛʃ/ |
| pastiche | A work of art that imitates the work of a previous artist. | /pæsˈtiːʃ/ |
| pistachio | A type of edible nut; the tree on which the nut grows. | /pɪsˈtæʃioʊ/ |
| quiche | A pie made primarily of eggs and cream in a pastry crust. | /kiːʃ/ |
| Rochelle | Feminine name. | /ɹoʊˈʃɛl/ |
| ricochet | A method of firing a projectile so that it skips along a surface. | /ˈɹɪkəʃeɪ/ |
| ruche | A strip of fabric used for trimming. | /ˈɹuːʃ/ |
| sachet | A small, sealed packet containing any material. | /ˈsæʃeɪ/ |
| seiche | A short‐period standing wave oscillation of the water level in a lake, characteristic of its geometry. | /seɪʃ/ |
| Seychelles | An archipelago and country in East Africa, in the Indian Ocean. | /seɪˈʃɛlz/, /seɪˈʃɛl/, /ˈseɪʃɛlz/, /ˈseɪʃɛl/ |
| stanchion | A vertical pole, post, or support; a framework of such posts. To erect or equip with these structures; confine with these structures. |
/ˈstænʃən/, /ˈstɑːnʃən/ |
| troche | A lozenge or cough drop. | /tɹoʊʃ/ |
| trebuchet | A medieval siege engine consisting of a large pivoting arm heavily weighted on one end. Considered to be the technological successor to the catapult. A torture device for dunking suspected witches by means of a chair attached to the end of a long pole. |
/ˈtɹɛbəʃɛt/, /ˈtɹɛb.jə.ʃeɪ/, /ˈtɹɛb.ju.ʃeɪ/, /ˈtɹɛb.juˌʃɛt/, /ˈtɹɛb.jəˌʃeɪ/ |