ell

Meanings

1. A measure of length. An English ell was 1¼ yards (45 inches or 114 cm), a Scottish ell was about 37 inches (94 cm), a Flemish ell was ¾ yard (27 inches or 69 cm), while certain European ells were less than 50 cm.

1. The name of the Latin script letter L/l. (more commonly el)
2. An extension usually at right angles to one end of a building.
3. Something that is L-shaped.

1. Abbreviation of RNA polymerase II elongation factor: an enzyme found in Cajal bodies.
2. Initialism of English-language learner.

1. A surname.
2. A town and commune in Redange canton, Luxembourg.
3. A village in Leudal municipality, Limburg province, Netherlands.

1. Alternative letter-case form of ell.

Etymology

From Middle English elle, elne, from Old English eln (“the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger; a unit of measure”), from Proto-West Germanic *alinu, from Proto-Germanic *alinō, from Proto-Indo-European *Heh₃l-én-eh₂, from *Heh₃l- (“elbow, forearm”). Cognate with Dutch el (“ell”), German Low German Ell (“ell”), German Elle (“ell”), Swedish aln (“cubit; ell”), Icelandic alin (“cubit; ell”), Latin ulna (“forearm”).