Čatež (pronounced [ˈtʃaːtɛʃ]; German: Tschatesch[2]) is a settlement in the Municipality of Trebnje in eastern Slovenia.

Medieval transcriptions indicate that the name was originally *Črětež, derived from the archaic common noun *čretež 'clearing, cleared land', referring to the local geography.

Rejected etymologies include derivation from čata 'ambush' because of evidence from the medieval transcriptions (with čr-) and the limitation of this lexeme to eastern Slovenia, and derivation from the fairy-tale name Čatež for both phonological and typological reasons.

[2] The local parish church is dedicated to Saint Michael and belongs to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Novo Mesto.

The place is also known for its pilgrimage church dedicated to the Assumption of Mary, built in the hamlet of Zaplaz on a hill north of the settlement.