cist

[sist]

noun Classical Antiquity.

a box or chest, especially for sacred utensils.

Origin of cist

1795–1805; < Latin cista < Greek kístē chest

cist

[sist, kist]

noun

a prehistoric sepulchral tomb or casket.

Also kist.

Origin of cist

1795–1805; < Welsh < Latin cista. See cist¹

Related formscist·ed, adjectivecis·tic, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cist

Historical Examples of cist

The cist lay in a small chamber, the body on its left side, with head to the north.
El Kab
J.E. Quibell
Nothing was found in them but some sand which had fallen in on opening the cist.
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland
Daniel Wilson
Within it was found a cist containing two skeletons nearly entire.
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland
Daniel Wilson
In this case the cist lay north and south, but the head was laid at the south end.
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland
Daniel Wilson
In a cist discovered in 1790, under a large cairn in the parish of Kilbride, the skeleton lay with its head to the east.
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland
Daniel Wilson

British Dictionary definitions for cist

cist

noun

a wooden box for holding ritual objects used in ancient Rome and Greece

Word Origin for cist

C19: from Latin cista box, chest, basket, from Greek kistē

cist

kist

noun

archaeol a box-shaped burial chamber made from stone slabs or a hollowed tree trunk

Word Origin for cist

C19: from Welsh: chest, from Latin cista box; see cist 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for cist

"sepulchral chest or chamber," 1804, in some cases from Latin cista "wickerwork basket, box," from Greek kiste "box, chest" (see chest); according to OED, in some cases from Welsh cist in cist faen "stone coffin," the first element of which is from the Latin word.