ell definition |Dictionary.com

Browse Nearby Entries

Elkanah

ell

11 dictionary results for: ell

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ell1

[el] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	an extension usually at right angles to one end of a building.

2.	elbow (def. 5).

3.	something that is L-shaped.

Also, el.

[Origin: 1765–75; a sp. of the letter name, or by shortening of elbow

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

ell2

[el] Pronunciation Key

–noun

a former measure of length, varying in different countries: in England equal to 45 in. (114 cm).

[Origin: bef. 950; ME, OE eln; c. ON eln, OHG elina, Goth aleina, L ulna, Gk ōléné. See elbow

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

el¹ also ell (ěl) Pronunciation Key
n. The letter l.

(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ell¹ (ěl) Pronunciation Key
n.

A wing of a building at right angles to the main structure.
A right-angled bend in a pipe or conduit; an elbow.

[From its resemblance to the shape of the capital letter L, or short for elbow.]

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ell² (ěl) Pronunciation Key
n. Any of several historical units of measure corresponding roughly to the length of the arm, especially the English measure equal to 45 inches (114 centimeters).

[Middle English, from Old English eln, the length from the elbow to the middle finger's tip, ell; see el- in Indo-European roots.]

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ell³ (ěl) Pronunciation Key
n. Variant of el¹.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ell

O.E. eln "unit of measure of 45 inches," originally "length of the arm," from PIE *el- "elbow, forearm" (cf. Gk. olene "elbow," L. ulna, Arm. uln "shoulder," Skt. anih "part of the leg above the knee," Lith. alkune "elbow"). The exact distance varied, depending on whose arm was used as the base and whether it was measured from the shoulder to the fingertip or the wrist: the Scot. ell was 37.2 inches, the Flem. 27 inches. L. ulna also was a unit of linear measure.

"Whereas shee tooke an inche of liberty before, tooke an ell afterwardes" [1580].

Sense of "building extension" is Amer.Eng. 1773, for resemblance to the shape of the alphabet letter.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

ell
noun
an extension at the end and at right angles to the main building

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Pe Ell, WA (town, FIPS 53930) Location: 46.57153 N, 123.29692 W
Population (1990): 547 (249 housing units)
Area: 1.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)
Zip code(s): 98572

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Ell

Ell\, n. [AS. eln; akin to D. el, elle, G. elle, OHG. elina, Icel. alin, Dan. alen, Sw. aln, Goth. alenia, L. ulna elbow, ell, Gr. ? elbow. Cf. Elbow, Alnage.] A measure for cloth; -- now rarely used. It is of different lengths in different countries; the English ell being 45 inches, the Dutch or Flemish ell 27, the Scotch about 37.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Ell

Ell\, n. (Arch.) See L.

CITE THIS SOURCE|PRINT

About · Privacy Policy · Terms of Use · Link to Us · Report Ad · Contact Us