An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Elle

by Friedrich Kluge

Elle, f., from the equiv. MidHG. ęlle, ęle, ęln, ęlne, OHG. ęlina (and ęlin), f. ‘ell’; corresponding to Goth. aleina (wrongly written for *alina?), OIc. ǫln, AS. ęln, f., E. ell, Du. el, elle; all these words signify ‘ell,’ which is derived from the lit. meaning ‘fore-arm’ (comp. Fuß, Spanne, Klafter, as standards of measure). The word in the form ō̆lē̆nâ is also preserved in other Aryan languages. Comp. Gr. ‘ὠλένη, ‘elbow, arm,’ Lat. ulna, ‘elbow, arm, ell,’ OIr. uile, Sans. aratní, OSlov. lakŭtĭ (from *olkŭtĭ), Lith. ólektis (ŭlektis), ‘elbow, ell,’ are more remote; they also contain, however, the comnmon Aryan ŏle- (whence too Ahle?). From the Teut. *alina the Romance cognates — Ital. alna (Fr. aune) — are borrowed. —