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Added 9 October 2026

elbow

/ˈɛlbəʊ̯/ noun

In Latin: cubitum, cubitus, ulna Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about elbow at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Hinge joint between the forearm and upper arm and the corresponding joint in the forelimb of a quadruped.
A sharp bend in a road or river.
A length of pipe with a sharp bend in it.

verb

Push one's way with the elbows.
Shove one's elbow into another person's ribs.

Origin

From Middle English elbowe (“elbow”), from Old English elboga, elnboga (“elbow”), from Proto-Germanic *alinabugô (“elbow”), equivalent to ell + bow. Cognate with Scots elbuck (“elbow”), Saterland Frisian Älbooge (“elbow”), Dutch elleboog (“elbow”), Low German Ellebage (“elbow”), German Ellbogen, Ellenbogen (“elbow”), Danish and Norwegian Bokmål albue (“elbow”), Norwegian Nynorsk olboge (“elbow”), Faroese albogi, Icelandic olbogi, olnbogi (“elbow”), Swedish armbåge (“elbow”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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