Cellar

//ˈsɛlə// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 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. 2
    salt cellar
  3. 3
    the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage wordnet
  4. 4
    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."

  5. 5
    storage space where wines are stored wordnet
Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    Last place in a league or competition; some rank near last place. slang

    "The Tigers have been in the cellar all year long, and I'm tired of it."

  2. 7
    an excavation where root vegetables are stored wordnet
  3. 8
    A basement. Northeastern, UK, US

    "Most of my tools and hardware are in the garage, but I keep some tools in the cellar, too, mainly for convenience."

Verb
  1. 1
    To store (something, especially food or wine) in a cellar. transitive

    "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."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English celer, seler, from Anglo-Norman celer, Old French celier (modern cellier), from Late Latin cellārium, from Latin cella. Doublet of cellarium.

Etymology 2

From Middle English celer, seler, from Anglo-Norman celer, Old French celier (modern cellier), from Late Latin cellārium, from Latin cella. Doublet of cellarium.

Etymology 3

From 15th century English saler, from French salière, from Latin salarius (“relating to salt”), from Latin sal (“salt”).

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