cellar or basement?

Cellar is a room under the ground floor, usually for storage, whereas basement is a part of building that is completely or partially below the ground level, it could be an apartment, a kitchen, or rooms.

LanguageLoverCellar is a room under the ground floor, usually for storage, whereas basement is a part of building that is completely or partially below the ground level, it could be an apartment, a kitchen, or rooms.

But the underground 'complete' floor (which is used only for storage, but has a lot of rooms) of a house is called basement, right?

I guess so.

KatarinaWhat's the difference between 'cellar' and 'basement'?
Can we use the two words interchangeably?

My experience growing up on the plains: basement is accessed from a vertical door inside the house; cellar is accessed from a horizontal door outside the house. Basements can be finished, cellars are for storage.

Of the two words, only cellar has this backdrop:

cellar: c.1225, from O.Fr. celer, from L. cellarium "pantry, storeroom," lit. "group of cells," from L. cella (cell)

cell: c.1131, "small room," from L. cella "small room, hut," related to L. celare "to hide, conceal,

I think most people use "basement" for the floor below ground which acts as the foundation of a house or other such structure. Some people do say "cellar" for this, but it sounds odd to me.
"Basement" does not mean the lowest floor, however. For example, I live in a house which has no basement (or cellar). This is typical in California, although some people have half-basements. The

I see. Well most houses here in Germany have a complete underground floor. Very few are furnished but mostly people use this part of the house for storage. In German we call it 'Keller' which apparently is a cognate word to the English 'cellar'. However, in English there are two different words , namely 'cellar' and 'basement'. So this really confuses me of which word to use. Germans tend t

I am nearly certain from what you describe that most Americans, on seeing the underground floor, would say that it was a basement. You are right to be cautious about cognates. They can easily lead you astray. I myself would not use the cognate "cellar" if I were in your position with regard to this matter.

(Actually, if you try to use non-cognates as much as possible, your voca

CalifJimI am nearly certain from what you describe that most Americans, on seeing the underground floor, would say that it was a basement. You are right to be cautious about cognates. They can easily lead you astray. I myself would not use the cognate "cellar" if I were in your position with regard to this matter.

(Actually, if you try to use non-cognate

Hello

OED say as below. (Please note that the symbol "†" means the usage is obsolete or archaic.

cellar, n.

[ME. celer, a. Anglo-F. celer, OF. celier (mod.F. cellier):—L. cellQrium set of cells, receptacle for food, f. cella cell.]

†1. a. A store-house or store-room, whether above or below ground, for provisions; a granary, buttery, or