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rathskeller

[raht-skel-er, rat-, rath-]
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noun
  1. (in Germany) the cellar of a town hall, often used as a beer hall or restaurant.
  2. a restaurant patterned on the German rathskeller, usually located below street level.
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Origin of rathskeller

1860–65; < German, equivalent to Rath (extracted from Rathaus town hall) + -s 's1 + Keller cellar
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for rathskeller

Historical Examples

  • He had disliked the young man "Tacks" when he met him in the Rathskeller.

    Cap'n Dan's Daughter

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • "We'll get a bite to eat down in the Rathskeller," he suggested gaily.

    Stubble

    George Looms

  • Mr. Scanlon was willing, and so they made their way from the rathskeller into the sunlight.

  • It was in the rathskeller that Highsmith made the hit of his histrionic career.

  • The Rathskeller is well-conducted, and was built by the municipal authorities.

Word Origin and History for rathskeller

n.

1900, from German ratskeller, earlier rathskeller, "a cellar in a German town hall in which beer is sold," from rat "council" (see rede (n.)) + keller "cellar" (see cellar (n.)). The German -h- inserted to avoid association with the word for "rat."

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper