cella

C3E1L1L1A1
UK/ˈsɛlə/

noun

The central, enclosed part of an ancient temple, as distinguished from the open porticos.

OriginLatin cella →
UncommonFirst used 17th c.Scrabble 7
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Meanings

cella1

nouncella (plural cellae)

plural cellae

  1. architectureThe central, enclosed part of an ancient temple, as distinguished from the open porticos.First known use 17th c.

    Room by room, Sarrasine advances to the cella of the hermaphrodite god, veiled like Spenser's Venus.

    1990, Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae

Cella2

proper nounCella (plural Cellas)

plural Cellas

  1. A surname.

Origin

  1. Latincella
  2. Englishcella

Learned borrowing from Latin cella. Doublet of cell and hall.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with cella

VenezuelaumbrellaBellaEllasalmonellamozzarellafellahellarubellaGabriellanovellaCoachellavaricellashigellapaellachlorellacandelabrucellanigellaAdelacitronellaklebsiellatarantellacastella
All rhymes →

Anagrams

eCall
Cite this entry
APA

cella. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cella

MLA

“cella.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cella. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cella,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cella.

Source: cella on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.