(Cellarium), in ancient writers, denotes the same with cella, viz. a conservatory of eatables, or drinkables. Cellar differs from vault, as the latter is supposed to be deeper, the former being frequently little below the surface of the ground. In which sense, cellarium only differed from genus, as the former was only a storehouse for several days, the latter for a long time. Thus it is, the bactoperata, a sort of ancient Cynics, are said by St Jerome to carry cellar about with them.

Cellarium also denoted an allowance of bread, wine, oil, or other provision, furnished out of the cella, to the use of the governor of the province and his officers, &c. In which sense, the word amounts to much the same with annona.

Cellars, in modern buildings, are the lowest rooms in a house, the ceilings of which usually lie level with the surface of the ground on which the house is built; or they are situated under the pavement before the house, especially in streets and squares.

Cellars, and other places vaulted underground, were called by the Greeks hypogeae: the Italians still call them fundi delle case.