Definition of ELL

ell

Plural: ells

Noun

  • A former measure of length, typically 45 inches.
  • an extension at the end and at right angles to the main building
  • 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.
  • The name of the Latin-script letter L/l. (more commonly el)
  • An extension usually at right angles to one end of a building.
  • Something that is L-shaped.

Examples

  • He placed his L at the end of a word, creating the valid, short word ELL.

Origin / 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”).

Scrabble Score: 3

ell: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
ell: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
ell: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 5

ell: valid Words With Friends Word