Elbow means: The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
elbow
(anatomy) The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith will begin taking dry swings next week as he progresses in his recovery from an elbow injury. #MLB #FantasyBaseball
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BlueskyMay 2026
If you are healing from injury, and don't feel like yourself: Injury can often affect your mental health. May is #mentalhealthmonth and we can help you recover both physically AND mentally. You are more than your: kne…
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BlueskyMay 2026
"Open Arms" by Elbow Album: "Build a Rocket Boys!" Time: 06:53 am
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BlueskyMay 2026
Ffs I burnt my arm near my elbow on the oven getting a pan out.
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BlueskyMay 2026
I woke up with tennis elbow and I didn't even need to play tennis to get it. Sometimes my body likes to remind me that my 30s are quickly coming to an end.
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Definitions
#1·Apr 27, 2026
(anatomy) The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.
Up to the elbowes naked were there Armes.
Origin: From , from , elbow, from , equivalent to . Cognate with , , , , , elbow, , , , , elbow,. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
Elbow means: The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
elbow means: The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(by extension) Any turn or bend like that of the elbow, in a wall, building, coastline, etc.; an angular or jointed part of any structure, such as the raised arm of a chair or sofa, or a short pipe fitting, turning at an angle or bent.
Elbows almost touching they leaned at ease, idly reading the almost obliterated lines engraved there. ¶ understood it," she observed, lightly scornful. "What occult meaning has a sun-dial for the spooney? ''I'm'' sure I don't want t…
Cluster: drugs
Heard in the wild
“Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Pavin Smith will begin taking dry swings next week as he progresses in his recovery from an elbow injury. #MLB #FantasyBaseball”
— Bluesky· May 2026“If you are healing from injury, and don't feel like yourself: Injury can often affect your mental health. May is #mentalhealthmonth and we can help you recover both physically AND mentally. You are more than your: knee, shoulder, hip, elbow, or ankle!💯”
— Bluesky· May 2026“"Open Arms" by Elbow Album: "Build a Rocket Boys!" Time: 06:53 am”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Ffs I burnt my arm near my elbow on the oven getting a pan out.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I woke up with tennis elbow and I didn't even need to play tennis to get it. Sometimes my body likes to remind me that my 30s are quickly coming to an end.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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#3·Apr 27, 2026
(US, dated, early 20th-century, _, slang) A detective.
the sides of windows, where the jamb makes an elbow with the window back
Heard in the wild
“No news yet on Twins pitcher Joe Ryan, who left Sunday’s game with right elbow soreness https://www.rawchili.com/mlb/691061/ No news yet on Twins pitcher Joe Ryan, who left Sunday’s start against the Toronto Blue Jays with…”
— Bluesky· May 2026“So that’s where the warning to never stick anything smaller than an elbow in to one’s anus comes from! I’ve always wondered.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“That trash doesn't know his ass from his elbow, and he's going to tell me I can't have my incredibly life changing antidepressants?! Yeah, no.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“May I recommend palm heel strike as an alternative to punch? Elbow is also an effective weapon as well as the old classic knee or kick to the crotch.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Coincidentals -- that mustard came on the graces of his elbow to my face ;)”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "elbow" (E)
ElaineElanielasticelasticizeelastic sidesElastoplastelbow pitelbow rimelbows upel cheapoelder-blowElders
Browse all slang words starting with E.