cubit
nounUK /ˈkjuː.bɪt/ · US /ˈkju.bɪt/
Etymology From Middle English cubite, from Latin cubitum (“elbow, cubit”). Doublet of cubitus, covado, and codo.
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:
2
Historical Any of various units of length approximating this distance, usually around 35–60 cm.
- Derived terms
- cubital, cubitocarpal, cubitoradial
- Hyponyms
- arshin, Russian cubit, codo, Spanish cubit, covado, Portuguese cubit, dira, royal cubit