Excel

See also: excel

English

Etymology

From excel. The name was selected in 1984 by Microsoft after being submitted by a branch manager^[1] and is thought to convey superiority over other spreadsheet programs, especially then dominant Lotus 1-2-3.^[2]^[3]

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɪkˈsɛl/, /ɛkˈsɛl/
Audio (Canada): (file)
Rhymes: -ɛl

Proper noun

Excel

(computing, software) Microsoft Excel, a spreadsheet application software program written and distributed by Microsoft.
- 2013, Iris Smyles, Iris Has Free Time, Berkeley, CA: Counterpoint, →ISBN, page 9:
  “Do you know Excel?” ¶ “No.” ¶ “Could you learn?” ¶ “Probably not. I find it very difficult to learn things I don't already know.” Then, remembering the advice that I try to sell myself, I added, “But I'm sure I'd pick it up eventually.”

Translations

Microsoft spreadsheet software

Hebrew: אקסל (eksél)

References

^ Roy A. Allan (2001), “Application Programs”, in A History of the Personal Computer: The People and the Technology, London, Ont.: Allan Publishing, →ISBN, part 3 (1980's - The IBM/Macintosh era), chapter 12 (Microsoft in the 1980's), page 12/24: “During 1984, Microsoft considered a number of different names for the advanced Odyssey spreadsheet project. Then Microsoft selected the name Excel that a branch manager had submitted.”
^ HansV (27 July 2011), “what is^[sic] Excel stand for”, in Microsoft Q&A‎^[1], archived from the original on 5 October 2025: “In the early 1980's, Lotus 1-2-3 became the leading spreadsheet program. Microsoft's spreadsheet program Multiplan lagged behind it in popularity. So they set up a team to develop a new spreadsheet that could do everything that Lotus 1-2-3 did, but better. "Excel" refers to that.”
^ Bala_Excel_Insights (18 July 2024), “Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Excel”, in Medium‎^[2], archived from the original on 5 October 2025: “The name “Excel” was chosen to convey a sense of “excellence” and superiority over other spreadsheet programs.”

Chinese

Etymology

From English Excel.

Pronunciation

Cantonese (Jyutping): ik¹ seu²

Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
  - Jyutping: ik¹ seu²
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ik⁷ seu²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɪk̚⁵ sɛːu̯³⁵/

Proper noun

Excel (Hong Kong Cantonese, software)

Excel (Microsoft program)
Excel spreadsheet (document) (Classifier: 張／张 c; 份 c)

German

Etymology

Borrowed from English Excel with an assumed pronunciation, i.e. a spelling pronunciation based on what might be expected in English.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈɛk.səl/ (usual)
IPA^(key): /ɪkˈsɛl/, /ɛkˈsɛl/ (extremely rare and unlikely to be understood)
Audio (Germany (Berlin)): (file)

Proper noun

Excel n (proper noun, strong, genitive Excels)

(software) Excel (Microsoft program)

Hungarian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈɛksɛl]
Hyphenation: Ex‧cel
Rhymes: -ɛl

Proper noun

Excel

(computing) Excel (a Microsoft spreadsheet program)

Declension

Inflection (stem in *-e-*, front unrounded harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	Excel	Excelek
accusative	Excelt	Exceleket
dative	Excelnek	Exceleknek
instrumental	Excellel	Excelekkel
causal-final	Excelért	Excelekért
translative	Excellé	Excelekké
terminative	Excelig	Excelekig
essive-formal	Excelként	Excelekként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	Excelben	Excelekben
superessive	Excelen	Exceleken
adessive	Excelnél	Exceleknél
illative	Excelbe	Excelekbe
sublative	Excelre	Excelekre
allative	Excelhez	Excelekhez
elative	Excelből	Excelekből
delative	Excelről	Excelekről
ablative	Exceltől	Excelektől
non-attributive possessive – singular	Excelé	Exceleké
non-attributive possessive – plural	Exceléi	Excelekéi

Possessive forms of *Excel*
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	Excelem	Exceleim
2nd person sing.	Exceled	Exceleid
3rd person sing.	Excele	Excelei
1st person plural	Excelünk	Exceleink
2nd person plural	Exceletek	Exceleitek
3rd person plural	Excelük	Exceleik

Derived terms

exceles

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English Excel.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈeɡsθel/ [ˈeɣ̞s.θel] (Spain, Equatorial Guinea)
IPA^(key): /ˈeɡsel/ [ˈeɣ̞.sel] (Latin America, Philippines)
Rhymes: -eɡsθel (Spain, Equatorial Guinea)
Rhymes: -eɡsel (Latin America, Philippines)

Proper noun

Excel m

(software) Excel (Microsoft program)

Swedish

Etymology

From English Excel.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɛkˈsɛlː/

Proper noun

Excel n (genitive Excels)

(software) Excel (Microsoft program)

[1] Roy A. Allan (2001), “Application Programs”, in A History of the Personal Computer: The People and the Technology, London, Ont.: Allan Publishing, →ISBN, part 3 (1980's - The IBM/Macintosh era), chapter 12 (Microsoft in the 1980's), page 12/24: “During 1984, Microsoft considered a number of different names for the advanced Odyssey spreadsheet project. Then Microsoft selected the name Excel that a branch manager had submitted.”

[2] HansV (27 July 2011), “what is^[sic] Excel stand for”, in Microsoft Q&A‎^[1], archived from the original on 5 October 2025: “In the early 1980's, Lotus 1-2-3 became the leading spreadsheet program. Microsoft's spreadsheet program Multiplan lagged behind it in popularity. So they set up a team to develop a new spreadsheet that could do everything that Lotus 1-2-3 did, but better. "Excel" refers to that.”

[3] Bala_Excel_Insights (18 July 2024), “Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Excel”, in Medium‎^[2], archived from the original on 5 October 2025: “The name “Excel” was chosen to convey a sense of “excellence” and superiority over other spreadsheet programs.”

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