cist1
[sist]
- a box or chest, especially for sacred utensils.
Show More
Origin of cist1
cist2
[sist, kist]
- a prehistoric sepulchral tomb or casket.
Show More
Also kist.
Origin of cist2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for cist
Historical Examples
The cist lay in a small chamber, the body on its left side, with head to the north.
El KabJ.E. Quibell
Nothing was found in them but some sand which had fallen in on opening the cist.
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of ScotlandDaniel Wilson
Within it was found a cist containing two skeletons nearly entire.
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of ScotlandDaniel 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 ScotlandDaniel 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 ScotlandDaniel Wilson
cist1
- a wooden box for holding ritual objects used in ancient Rome and Greece
Show More
Word Origin
C19: from Latin cista box, chest, basket, from Greek kistē
cist2
kist
- archaeol a box-shaped burial chamber made from stone slabs or a hollowed tree trunk
Show More
Word Origin
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
n.
"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.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper