cella Latin · revision 2905

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Naevius|origins=ine-pro *ḱel-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkɛl.la]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃɛl.la]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cella''' ''f'' (genitive cellae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably [[inh|itc-pro|*kē̆li/elā-]], from a root meaning “to hide, cover”, [[ine-pro|*ḱel-]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan suggests it may come from *kēla by the littera rule, which replaced a long vowel and single consonant with a short vowel and a double one, and would then keep the base of [[celo|alt=cēlāre]] “to conceal”; or it could be a diminutive *kēl-elā-.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Varro already derived it from that verb, because things are hidden in it.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ It may be related to [[osc|kellaked|t=he has stored]],^(de Vaan 2008) and is compared with [[sa|शाला|tr=śā́lā|t=hall, house]] and [[grc|καλιά|tr=kaliá|t=hut]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Naevius onwards.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) In Plautus a parasite “has broken open all the storerooms inside”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a [[m|en|storeroom]] for one kind of provision, as ''cella vinaria'', ''olearia'' or ''penaria'', for wine, oil or food, and Cato called Sicily “the storeroom of our state”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) In a temple it was the chamber where the god's image stood, as Jupiter's on the Capitol.^(OLD 2012) It was also a small room for slaves or the poor, a garret, a coop or pen for animals, and a chamber under the seats of a theatre.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it was a monk's or nun's dwelling and a small monastery, often one depending on an abbey.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(GMLC) It was also used for the cells of a honeycomb and of the brain.^(DMLBS)^(MLW) English took ''cell'' in the early 12th century for a small monastery, later for a monk's room.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for storerooms.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato lists storerooms for wine, oil and food.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for the chamber of Jupiter's temple.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 832 – A Catalan document uses it for a small monastery.^(GMLC)

+ * early 12th century – English ''cell'' is first recorded, for a small monastery.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|storeroom]], larder, granary.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # The inner chamber of a [[m|en|temple]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A small room; a garret.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A coop, pen, stall.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A chamber, compartment.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A monk's [[m|en|cell]]; a small monastery.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A cell (of a honeycomb, of the brain).^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cellāris]]

+ * [[cellārius]]

+ * [[cellātiō]]

+ * [[cellula]]

+ * [[circumcellio]]

+ * [[cellārium]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[occulō]]

+ * [[cēlō]]

+ * [[en|cell]]

+ * [[en|cellar]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}