a cellar

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A room below the ground, usually under a house, used for keeping things or sometimes as a living space.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a cellar', 'the cellar', or 'cellars'.

   Patterns

   • in a cellar
   • a cellar under something

   They store old furniture in a cellar under the house.

   The wine is kept in a cellar to stay cool.

   We turned a cellar into a small playroom.

2. 2nouncountable

   A stock of wines kept in such a room.

   Grammar: Countable: often used with 'a good' or 'a large'.

   Patterns

   • have a cellar
   • a good cellar

   The restaurant has a fine cellar of French wines.

   He is proud of his cellar and likes to show it to guests.

Word forms

Common combinations

wine cellar

The hotel has a famous wine cellar.

cellar door

The cellar door was locked from the inside.

in the cellar

The tools are in the cellar.

cellar steps

Be careful on the cellar steps; they are steep.

Synonyms and how they differ

basement

A basement is usually a full floor below ground, often with windows; a cellar is smaller and mainly for storage.

vault

A vault is a secure room, often underground, for valuables; a cellar is less secure and more general.

Word family

cellarage noun

Space or charge for storing in a cellar.

Commonly confused: a cellar or seller?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “a cellar”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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