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Ely

American  
[ee-lee, ee-lahy] / ˈi li, ˈi laɪ /

noun

  1. Isle of, a former administrative county in E England: now part of Cambridgeshire.

  2. a town on this island: medieval cathedral.

  3. a male given name.


Ely British  
/ ˈiːlɪ /

noun

  1. a cathedral city in E England, in E Cambridgeshire on the River Ouse. Pop: 13 954 (2001)

  2. a former county of E England, part of Cambridgeshire since 1965

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

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In East Anglia, the Cam and Ely Ouse, North West Norfolk and North Norfolk catchments are in "prolonged dry weather" status - the category below drought.

From BBC Jul. 15, 2026

Mr. Ely provides a few sentences of transcribed testimony before analyzing the case’s factual details and deciphering any unusual language from the period.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 10, 2026

Mr. Ely, a professor of history at the College of William & Mary, takes the reader into a courthouse where judicial proceedings unfolded during the first half of the 19th century.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 10, 2026

Steven now volunteers for the lived experience group at Taff Ely food bank, as well as supporting other charities.

From BBC Jul. 1, 2026

As I wander around, I find a painting I’ve never noticed before—Anna Maria Dashwood, later Marchioness of Ely by Sir Thomas Lawrence.

From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez

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