What does cellae mean?
Cellae is the plural form of "cella," a term borrowed from Latin that designates the inner chamber or sanctuary of a classical temple — the walled room at the heart of the building where the cult statue of the god was kept. In large temples such as the Maison Carrée or the Temple of Venus and Roma, several cellae could stand side by side under one roof, each dedicated to a different deity. The word also appears in Vitruvius's writings to describe small rooms within Roman houses. Today, cellae survives almost exclusively in classical archaeology and architectural history, giving writing about ancient buildings a precise, scholarly flavor. Its root connects it to familiar English words such as "cell" and "cellular," all ultimately pointing to the idea of a small, enclosed space.
nounThe plural of "cella": the inner chamber or sanctuary of a classical temple, especially the room housing the cult statue. The term is used chiefly in archaeology and the history of architecture.
- The enclosed inner chambers of a classical temple, where the cult image stood.
- In ancient Roman houses, small rooms or apartments (as described by Vitruvius).
"The temple's three cellae each held a statue of a different deity."
"Archaeologists uncovered the podium on which the cellae once stood."
"Vitruvius prescribed careful proportions for the cellae of private houses."
Because classical temples frequently housed multiple chambers, the plural cellae is more commonly met than the singular cella.
"Each of the temple's cellae was entered through its own doorway."
Every Greek or Roman temple you've admired was essentially an ornate shell around its cellae — the hidden rooms where the god's statue actually lived.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cellae
Cellae comes from Latin cella, meaning a small room or storeroom, which the Romans applied to the inner sanctuary of a temple. Cella derives from celare, "to hide" or "to enclose," the same verb behind English "conceal." Related derivatives from this Latin root include "cell," "cellular," and "cellar." The plural form cellae follows the Latin first-declension pattern and is retained unchanged in modern scholarly usage.
How cellae is actually used
A learned, technical term confined to classical archaeology and architectural history; it would be out of place in everyday speech. It is almost always encountered as a plural, since temples commonly had multiple chambers.
Easily confused with cellae
"Cell" is a general English word for a small room or biological unit, while "cellae" specifically denotes the inner chambers of classical temples.