† cellar, n.2
Forms:
lME celere, lME cellor, lME sellere, 16 (Sc.) sellaris. (Show Less)
Origin: Apparently a borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin cellārius.
Etymology: Apparently < classical Latin cellārius keeper of a larder, butler, storekeeper, use as noun of masculine of cellārius of or connected with a storeroom (see cellar n.1). Compare earlier cellarer n. and the foreign-language parallels cited at that entry.
Earlier currency of the word is perhaps implied by the following uses in surnames (although both instances could alternatively be interpreted as showing either an otherwise unattested Anglo-Norman noun < classical Latin cellārius , or spellings for seler seller n.2; quot. c1200 might even show a variant spelling of the Anglo-Norman etymon of seller n.2): A feminine noun celere ‘cellaress’ is occasionally attested in Anglo-Norman (c1240), but is unlikely to be involved in the transmission of the English word, as the instances in the quots. all denote male cellarers. With the form cellor compare -or suffix.
c1200 in J. T. Gilbert Hist. & Munic. Documents Ireland
(1870)
45
Marcus le celer.
1297 in Discovery
(1921)
2 3
Walter le celeresman.
Obs.
A cellarer.
a1425 Medulla Gram.
(Stonyhurst)
f. 52 v
Promus, celere or boteler.
1474 in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ.
(1790)
*32
Officers hath theire fees... The Cellor, the voyde vessells of wyne.
?a1475 Promptorium Parvulorum
(Winch.)
405
Sellere, cellerarius.
1617 in J. Stuart Extracts Council Reg. Aberdeen
(1848)
II. 352
Sir Thomas Pinridok, one of his maiesties sellaris.
a1425—1617(Hide quotations)