I. ˈel noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English eln, ellen, elle, from Old English eln; akin to Old High German elina ell, Old Norse eln, öln, alin forearm, ell, Gothic aleina, Latin ulna elbow, arm, ell, Greek ōlenē elbow, Sanskrit āṇi linchpin, part of the leg immediately above the knee
1. : an English unit of length chiefly for cloth equal to 45 inches but no longer used
2. : any of various units of length similar in use to the English ell (as the old Dutch or Flemish unit of about 27 inches, the Scotch unit of about 37 inches, or the modern unit of the Netherlands equal to 1 meter)
3. : cubit
II. noun
( -s )
1. : el I
2. : an extension at right angles to the length of a main building
3. : an elbow in a pipe or conduit