cubit

C3U1B3I1T1
UK/ˈkjuː.bɪt/US/ˈkju.bɪt/

noun

The distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger used as an informal unit of length.

Similar
ellcoudeeulna
OriginMiddle English cubite ← Latin cubitum →
UncommonScrabble 9
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

cubit1

nouncubit (plural cubits)

plural cubits

  1. The distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger used as an informal unit of length.

    Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 6:27

    Synonyms: ell, coudee

  2. historicalAny of various units of length approximating this distance, usually around 35–60 cm.
  3. archaicanatomySynonym of ulna, the bone of the human forearm.

    Synonyms: ulna

Cubit2

proper nounCubit (plural Cubits)

plural Cubits

  1. A surname transferred from the nickname.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger used as an informal unit of length.

Similar
ellcoudee

nounSynonym of ulna, the bone of the human forearm.

Similar
ulna
Narrower
arshinRussian cubitcodoSpanish cubitcovadoPortuguese cubitdiraroyal cubit
Also see
codocovado

Origin

cubit · noun

  1. Latincubitum“elbow, cubit”
  2. Middle Englishcubite
  3. Englishcubit

From Middle English cubite, from Latin cubitum (“elbow, cubit”). Doublet of cubitus, covado, and codo.

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Cubit · proper noun

  1. Middle Englishcubite“cubit; elbow”
  2. EnglishCubit

From Middle English cubite (“cubit; elbow”), probably applied as a nickname for someone with strong or remarkable forearms.

More words from Middle English

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek πῆχυς
  • πῆχυς (pêkhus)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Arabic ذِرَاع
  • ذِرَاع (ḏirāʕ)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Bulgarian аршин, лакът
  • аршин (aršin)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
  • лакът (lakăt)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Catalan colze, colzo
  • colzeAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
  • colzoAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
  • colzadaAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Chinese Mandarin 肘
  • 肘 (zhǒu)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Czech loket
  • loketAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Danish alen
  • alenAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Dutch el
  • elAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Esperanto ulno
  • ulnoAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Estonian küünar
  • küünarAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Finnish kyynärä
  • kyynäräAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
French coudée
  • coudéeAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
German Elle
  • ElleAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Greek πήχης
  • πήχης (píchis)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Hebrew אַמָּה
  • אַמָּה ('amá)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Hungarian sing
  • singAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Indonesian dzira'
  • dzira'Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Latin cubitum, cubitus
  • cubitumAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
  • cubitusAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Malay hasta
  • hastaAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Māori tuke
  • tukeAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Persian ارش
  • ارش (arš)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Portuguese côvado
  • côvadoAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Russian ло́коть
  • ло́коть (lókotʹ)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Spanish codo
  • codoAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Swahili dhiraa, mkono
  • dhiraaAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
  • mkonoAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Swedish aln
  • alnAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Tagalog siko
  • sikoAny of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand
Yiddish אייל
  • אייל (eyl)Any of various units of length approximating the forearm and hand

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with cubit

qubit
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

qubit
Cite this entry
APA

cubit. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cubit

MLA

“cubit.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cubit. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cubit,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cubit.

Source: cubit on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.