cellar
UK: ˈsɛlə | US: ˈsɛlər
n. an underground room for storage, especially in a house
n. a place where wine is stored; a wine cellar
cellar = cell<small room> + ar<noun suffix>
- cell (from Latin cella, meaning "small room" or "storeroom")
- ar (a suffix used to form nouns, often indicating a place or tool)
Etymology Origin:
The word "cellar" traces back to the Latin cellarium, meaning "storeroom" or "pantry," derived from cella (small room). In Medieval Latin, cellarium referred to a storage space, often underground. Over time, the term evolved in Old French as celier before entering Middle English as cellar. The modern sense of an underground storage space, especially for wine, reflects its historical use in homes and monasteries.
We keep our homemade preserves in the cellar.
The restaurant boasts a wine cellar with over 500 bottles.
The old house has a damp cellar that floods in heavy rain.
He descended into the cellar to fetch a bottle of vintage champagne.
The cellar door creaked as she opened it, revealing rows of dusty jars.