# ellen

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈɛl.ən/ · frequency rank #6,569

## Definitions
1. Zeal.
2. Strength; courage.
3. Strength vouchsafed; comfort; grace.

## Etymology
From Middle English elne, ellen, from Old English ellen (“zeal, strength, power, vigor, valor, courage, fortitude, strife, contention”), from Proto-West Germanic *alljan, from Proto-Germanic *aljaną (“zeal, power, courage”). Cognate with Middle High German ellen (“strength, manhood”), Middle Low German ellen (“strength, power, courage, vigor, bravery”), Icelandic elja (“endurance, energy”).

## Easily confused with
- **even** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-even)
- **else** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-else)
- **elon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-elon)
- **Ellis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-ellis)
- **Ellie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-ellie)
- **elves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-elves)
- **Elton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-elton)
- **Elmer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-elmer)
- **Euler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-euler)
- **Essen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-essen)
- **elven** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ellen-vs-elven)
- **ell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ell-vs-ellen)
- **een** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/een-vs-ellen)
- **ele** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ele-vs-ellen)
- **Eden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eden-vs-ellen)
- **Ella** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ella-vs-ellen)
- **Elie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/elie-vs-ellen)
- **Eben** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eben-vs-ellen)
- **eaten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/eaten-vs-ellen)
- **elder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/elder-vs-ellen)

## Common misspellings (5)
`eleln`, `elen`, `ellenn`, `ellne`, `lelen`

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