'elbow' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'elnboga,' where 'eln' meant 'forearm' and 'boga' meant 'bow or bend.'

'elnboga' transformed into the Middle English word 'el(b)owe,' and eventually became the modern English word 'elbow.'

Initially, it meant 'the bend of the arm,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.