# cellar

/ˈsɛɫɝ/ (US) · /sˈɛlɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cellar
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. underground room

noun · CEFR B2

a room below ground level in a house, often used for keeping things cool or for storage.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. wine collection

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a collection of wine that someone has stored, usually in a cool place.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. last place

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · American English

the very bottom position in a sports league or competition.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. to store wine

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

to put wine or food in a cool underground room so it stays good for a long time.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- We keep our extra garden tools in the cellar.
- The old farmhouse has a damp cellar that the family uses to store potatoes and onions through the winter.
- The sommelier descended into the limestone cellar to retrieve a vintage that had been aging in near-perfect darkness for over two decades.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.