# ell

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɛl/ · frequency rank #29,255

## Definitions
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.

## 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”).

## Easily confused with
- **ex** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-ex)
- **et** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-et)
- **EU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-eu)
- **em** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-em)
- **en** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-en)
- **er** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-er)
- **EP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-ep)
- **ES** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-es)
- **EV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-ev)
- **ew** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-ew)
- **ey** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-ey)
- **ez** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-ez)
- **eo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-eo)
- **end** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-end)
- **eye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-eye)
- **era** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-era)
- **eve** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-eve)
- **est** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-est)
- **EPA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-epa)
- **EVA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-eva)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ell