Ell

An ell (from Old Germanic *alinâ cognate with Latin "ulna"), is a unit of measurement, originally a cubit, i.e., approximating the length of a man's arm from the elbow ("elbow" means the bend or bow of the ell or arm) to the tip of the middle finger, or about 18 inches; in later usage, any of several longer units. In English-speaking countries, these included (until the 19th century) the Flemish ell ( of a yard), English ell ( yard) and French ell ( yard), some of which are thought to derive from a 'double ell'.