cella

The central, enclosed part of an ancient temple, as distinguished from the open porticos.

Noun

  1. The central, enclosed part of an ancient temple, as distinguished from the open porticos.
    • Room by room, Sarrasine advances to the cella of the hermaphrodite god, veiled like Spenser's Venus. - 1990, Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae:

Origin

Learned borrowing from Latin cella. Doublet of cell and hall.

Forms

cellae