Word
cellar
Phoneticscel·lar, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsɛɫɝ/
UK/sˈɛlɐ/
Definitions
01underground room
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a room below ground level in a house, often used for keeping things cool or for storage.
n. an underground room or storey of a building, typically used for storage of provisions, coal, or wine.
“We keep the old garden tools and the lawnmower in the cellar.”
“The old Victorian house featured a damp cellar that required significant renovation before it could be used for anything other than basic storage.”
02wine collection
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a collection of wine that someone has stored, usually in a cool place.
n. a stock or collection of wine, named after the location where it is traditionally kept.
“The restaurant is famous for its impressive wine cellar.”
“He spent decades building a private cellar, focusing primarily on vintage reds from the Bordeaux region.”
Synonyms
03last place
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Sports Informal · American English
n. the very bottom position in a sports league or competition.
n. the lowest position in a league table or ranking; often used in the phrase 'in the cellar'.
“After losing five games in a row, the team is stuck in the league cellar.”
“The franchise has languished in the division cellar for three consecutive seasons, leading to calls for a complete management overhaul.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04to store wine
C2 · Proficiency Technical · Formal
v. to put wine or food in a cool underground room so it stays good for a long time.
v. to store something, particularly wine, in a cellar for the purpose of aging or preservation.
“This particular red wine needs to be cellared for at least five years.”
“Serious collectors often cellar their finest bottles for decades to allow the complex flavours to develop fully.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“These excel in cold environments, such as garages, cellars and outbuildings.” “It is planted in dark cellars in the fall, harvested by hand directly from its muddy case in the winter; in the markets in Lyon, the farmers dig them out with their trowels.” “They'll call to make sure we have space for them." At Christmas, customers dressed up as Santa and did their best to drink the on-board cellar dry.” 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.
From 15th century English saler, from French salière, from Latin salarius (“relating to salt”), from Latin sal (“salt”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
01. down cellar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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