el
el — noun
1. a large-scale warming of surface water in the Pacific Ocean near the equator tha
a large-scale warming of surface water in the Pacific Ocean near the equator that occurs every 2 to 10 years and alters weather conditions worldwide
The El Niño event caused heavy rainfall along the coast of Peru.
El Niño + event / current as weather phenomenon
Farmers in Australia prepared for drought during the El Niño period.
Daichi studied how El Niño raises surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean.
The strong El Niño current brought warm water to the shore near Lima.
Scientists warned that this year's El Niño may trigger severe storms across Asia.
- La Niña
the cold counterpart of El Niño, also part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle
文法句型
the El Niño + noun (event/current/conditions)
El Niño + affects/causes + noun
用法筆記
Always capitalized as a proper noun. The name comes from Spanish 'the little boy,' referring to the Christ child, because the current was first noticed around Christmas.
常見錯誤
2. a metropolitan train system whose lines are carried on structures above the road
a metropolitan train system whose lines are carried on structures above the roadway, commonly called 'the el' for short
Ezra takes the el train downtown every morning to reach his office.
collocation: el train
The elevated railway runs above the main streets of the old city.
the elevated railway / the el as shortened form
Renata heard the el rumbling past her apartment late at night.
A new el line connecting the airport to the city center began running last spring.
The old el tracks were replaced by a modern subway system last year.
- elevated train
the full form, slightly more formal than 'el'
- overhead railway
used more in British English for the same concept
文法句型
the el
el + train / line / station / tracks
用法筆記
Chiefly American English. In Chicago and New York, 'the el' (or 'the L') is the common name for the elevated train system. The word is usually written without a capital letter unless it begins a sentence.
常見錯誤
❌ 'I took the el to the mall last weekend.' (OK) — No common errors, but learners may over-capitalize: write 'the el' not 'the El.'
3. a short written form of the word 'elevation,' used on maps and in technical docu
a short written form of the word 'elevation,' used on maps and in technical documents to show height above sea level
The map showed 'el 4,500 m' next to the mountain peak.
abbreviation pattern: el + number + unit
The building's el was recorded as exactly 85 meters above sea level.
The pilot checked the el reading before landing at the mountain airport.
Engineers noted the el of the bridge deck at 12 meters above the river.
文法句型
el + number + unit
用法筆記
This abbreviation appears primarily on maps, survey documents, and engineering plans. In speech or general writing, the full word 'elevation' is always used.