cella

cell

noun CHEL-lah Rare

Origin: From Latin cella — 'small room, storeroom'.

Usage Note

Cella covers a prison cell (cella di isolamento = solitary confinement cell), a monastic cell, and biological cells in scientific Italian. For a smartphone 'cell' (as in cellular network), Italians say cella in technical contexts but the phone itself is il cellulare (or informally il telefonino).

Examples

"Il prigioniero era solo nella sua cella."

Natural Translation

The prisoner was alone in his cell.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Days & Months in Italian: A Beginner's Guide

Days of the week in Italian are lowercase, all masculine except la domenica, and il lunedì means every Monday. Learn the days, months, dates, and seasons.

June 5, 2026 4 min read

ItalianNow

Ti Amo vs Ti Voglio Bene: I Love You in Italian

Ti amo is romantic love; ti voglio bene is tender affection for family and close friends. Here's exactly who to say each phrase to in Italian.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Numbers 1 to 100: Count Like a Local

Learn Italian numbers 1 to 100 by mastering 0-20, the tens, and 3 spelling rules so you can generate any number from ventuno to novantanove on demand.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Restaurant Etiquette: Mistakes to Avoid

Skip the cappuccino after dinner, never put parmesan on fish, and learn the exact Italian phrases to order gracefully and avoid looking like a tourist.

June 5, 2026 5 min read