Where does “elle” come from?
elle (Middle English) comes from Old English eln, from Proto-West Germanic alinu, from Proto-Germanic alinō, from Proto-Indo-European Heh₃l-én-eh₂, from Proto-Indo-European Heh₃l- — to bow, to bend; elbow.
elle (Middle English): Alternative form of elne
Definitions
- Alternative form of elne
Ancestry of “elle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | eln | ell |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | alinu | forearm, ell |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | alinō | elbow; ell, cubit |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | Heh₃l-én-eh₂ | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | Heh₃l- | to bow, to bend; elbow |