cel
UK[sel]US[sel]
n
A unit in a spreadsheet or table formed by the intersection of a row and a column.
n
A small room or compartment, as in a prison or monastery.
n
The basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms.
n
A small group forming a nucleus of political activity, typically a secret, subversive one.
n
A device for converting chemical energy into electrical energy.
Etymology
The modern word 'cel' is a direct truncation of 'cell', entering English in the mid-20th century primarily in technical contexts like computing and animation (as in 'cel animation'). Its progenitor, 'cell', has a rich history tracing back to Latin cella, denoting a small chamber. This Latin term is believed to derive from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to cover' or 'to conceal', a concept inherently linked to the idea of an enclosed space. The semantic journey from a literal small room to the abstract biological, electrical, and organizational units we know today illustrates a classic pattern of meaning extension, where a core concept of a fundamental, compartmentalized unit is applied across diverse fields of knowledge.
Analysis
The word 'cel' is a simplex form. It is a clipping or shortening of the word 'cell', which itself originates from Latin 'cella', meaning a small room, storeroom, or shrine.
Examples
Enter the formula into the selected cel.
The animation was drawn on a single cel.
The data for each participant occupies one cel in the table.