'aune' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'aune', where that word ultimately derives from Latin 'ulna', which meant 'forearm'.

'aune' changed from the Latin word 'ulna' into Old French as 'aune' and was carried into Middle English usage as the term for an ell or measure of cloth.

Initially, it referred to the 'forearm' (the body part) or an arm's length; over time it became specialized as a 'unit of length' (an ell), approximately 1.2 m in many usages.