Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun The inner room or sanctuary of an ancient Greek or Roman temple, in which the statue of the god was situated.
- noun In Byzantine architecture, the area of a centrally planned church in which the liturgy is performed.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun The room or chamber which formed the nucleus of an ancient Greek or Roman temple and contained the image of the deity, as distinguished from the additional rooms, porticos, etc., often combined with the cella to form the complete temple.
- noun In anat., biol., and zoology, a cell; a cellula.
- noun A hole or hollow formed at the foot of a waterfall or rapid by the continued action of the water.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Arch.) The part inclosed within the walls of an ancient temple, as distinguished from the open porticoes.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun architecture The part enclosed within the
walls of anancient temple , as distinguished from the openporticos .
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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The term cella in this sense occurs in a very interesting inscription of Caeasarea in Mauretania quoted by De Rossi
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 3: Brownson-Clairvaux 1840-1916 1913
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Sacella appears to be a hybrid of sacculus with cella, which is derived from the image of a beehive, a lasting metaphor for storing wisdom away like honey.
Architecture and Memory: The Renaissance Studioli of Federico da Montefeltro 2008
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That it was even then the abode of monks is indicated by the name cella and by an ancient burial-place of an earlier date (c.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 13: Revelation-Stock 1840-1916 1913
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The essential feature is an enclosed chamber, commonly called by the Latin name cella, in which stood, as a rule, the image of the god or goddess to whom the temple was dedicated.
A History of Greek Art Frank Bigelow Tarbell 1886
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Beside the cella was the vestibule, and a chamber in the rear or back front in which the treasures of the temple were kept.
The Old Roman World, : the Grandeur and Failure of Its Civilization. John Lord 1852
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The answer was that in the old days the footman's seat was on the left horse, hence 'cella' for left, while the driver held his reins in his right hand, therefore 'mono' (or hand) means right to the Filipinos.
The Log of the Empire State Geneve L. A. Shaffer
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"cella" containing the object of veneration, the lingam, surmounted by a high-pitched conical stone roof.
A Holiday in the Happy Valley with Pen and Pencil T. R. Swinburne
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"cella" of the Parthenon was lighted, in view of the danger, in case of open skylights, of damage to the holy image by wind and rain.
A Day in Old Athens; a Picture of Athenian Life William Stearns Davis 1903
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Assuming this, I'd then presume in complete ignorance, mind you that there should be an altar here for Uni in the righthand cella, one for Minerva on the left and Tinia in the center.
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As I said before, the three-cella plan implies the Capitoline triad.
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