matella or matēla, ae, f. dim. matula, a pot, a vessel for liquids. In gen.: matella aquae, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. 543, 17; Varr. ib. 19; Cato, R. R. 10; 11.

—Prov.: mus in matella, of a person in difficulty, Petr. 58, 9.

— In partic., a chamber-pot, Mart. 12, 32, 13; id. 6, 89, 1; 14, 119 in lemm.; Sen. Ben. 3, 26, 2.

—Hence, prov.: matellam praestare alicui, i. e. to perform for one the most menial offices, Mart. 10, 11, 3.

—Transf., of a prostitute, Petr. 45, 8.