cellar

1 of 2

noun

cel·​lar ˈse-lər 

1

a

: a room or set of rooms below the ground floor of a building : basement

There's storage space in the cellar.

b(1)

: a room for storing wines : wine cellar

(2)

: a stock of wines

a restaurant with an impressive cellar

2

: the lowest grade or rank

especially : the lowest place in the standings (as of an athletic league)

The team spent most of last year in the cellar.

cellar

2 of 2

verb

cellared; cellaring

1

transitive : to put or keep (something, such as wine or cheese) in a cellar for storage or aging

Each batch is handmade to achieve a delicate soft texture, then cellared for a month to complete the aging …

—Juliet Harbutt

2

intransitive : to be stored in a cellar : to undergo aging while being stored in a cellar

Perfectly drinkable now, but will cellar nicely for another 3–5 years.

—Wine Enthusiast Magazine

Synonyms

Noun

• basement

Examples of cellar in a Sentence

Noun

The cellar has a dirt floor.

a restaurant with an impressive cellar

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

What’s unique is how it’s split across three levels: the water level for boats; the upper pavement level for pedestrians; and the central middle level, which houses Utrecht’s wharf cellars, many of which have been transformed into atmospheric bankside cafes, bars, and restaurants. —Gurdeep Loyal, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2024

After finishing in the league’s cellar in 3-point shooting for three straight seasons, the Bulls are committed to taking significantly more attempts from behind the arc this year. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 15 Oct. 2024

Verb

It will be matured in the family’s Ursulines cellars for another 12 to 15 months before bottling and then be released after an additional four years. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 30 Mar. 2024

This has the structure and depth of fruit to cellar for another 10-20 years. —Tom Hyland, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English celer "storeroom, underground chamber," borrowed from Anglo-French, "storeroom," going back to Latin cellārium, from cella "store, larder, small room" + -ārium -ary entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1551, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing cellar

• cellar dweller
• cellar master
• cyclone cellar
• root cellar
• storm cellar
• sub-cellar
• wine cellar

Kids Definition

cellar

noun

cel·​lar

ˈsel-ər

: a room or set of rooms below the surface of the ground : basement