What is "cellar door"

n. 1 A door leading to a cellar. 2 Part of a winery from which wine may be sampled or purchased.

In phonaesthetics, the English compound noun cellar door has been cited as an example of a word or phrase which is beautiful purely in terms of its sound ( euphony), without regard for semantics (i.e., meaning). It has been variously presented either as merely one beautiful instance of many, or as the most beautiful in the English language; as the author's personal choice, that of an eminent scholar's, or of a foreigner who does not speak the language. The original instance of this observation has not been discovered, although it was made as early as 1903.

Cellar Door is the fourth album by John Vanderslice, released in 2004. The name of this album is notable, as " cellar door" is one of the most beautiful phrases in the English language, according to J.R.R. Tolkien. The album contains a few songs based on recent films. "Promising Actress" is about Mullholland Drive, and "When It Hits My Blood" narrates Requiem For A Dream.

Cellar door may refer to:

• cellar door, often cited as the most beautiful-sounding phrase in English
• cellar door (wine), sales room at a winery
• Cellar Door: Terminus Ut Exordium, 2014 release by The Underachievers
• Cellar Door (John Vanderslice album), 2004 release by John Vanderslice
• The Cellar Door, music club in Washington DC 1965–81
  • The Cellar Door Sessions, 2005 release of 1970 Miles Davis sessions at the club
  • Live At The Cellar Door, 1975 album by The Seldom Scene