cellar
nounverbnouncommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈsɛlə//
- United States//ˈsɛləɹ//
An enclosed underground space, often under a building, used for storage or shelter.
noun
- 1
An enclosed underground space, often under a building, used for storage or shelter.
The farmhouse has several additions, added over many decades; it has three cellars, and one of them is older than the other two.
- 2
A wine collection, especially when stored in a cellar.
The insurance company valued his cellar at $27,000, largely on the strength of his bottles of 1972 Château Hypothetica.
- 3
slangLast place in a league or competition; some rank near last place.
The Tigers have been in the cellar all year long, and I'm tired of it.
- 4
A basement.
Most of my tools and hardware are in the garage, but I keep some tools in the cellar, too, mainly for convenience.
Etymology
From Middle English celer, seler, from Anglo-Norman celer, Old French celier (modern cellier), from Late Latin cellārium, from Latin cella. Doublet of cellarium.
verb
- 1
To store (something, especially food or wine) in a cellar.
Mr. VandenBerghe says he’s cellared such memorable bottles as the Batch 1 Adam from Hair of the Dog, a 14-year-old ale from Portland, Ore., that’s 10 percent alcohol, and the Trappistes Rochefort 10, a Quadrupel Belgian ale that peaks around age 10.
noun
- 1
salt cellar
Etymology
From 15th century English saler, from French salière, from Latin salarius (“relating to salt”), from Latin sal (“salt”).
Forms
- plural
- cellars
- past tense
- cellared
- past participle
- cellared
- present participle
- cellaring
- third person singular
- cellars
cellar · An enclosed underground space, often under a building, used for storage or shelter.
cello · A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family…cellphone · To make a call to (someone) on a cellphone.cellular · Of, relating to, consisting of, or resembling a cell or cells.