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ellipse.

A closed curve, the locus of a point such that the sum of the distances from that point to two other fixed points (called the foci of the ellipse) is constant; equivalently, the conic section that is the intersection of a cone with a plane that does not intersect the base of the cone.

7 characters2 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ɪˈlɪps/UK/ɪˈlɪps/Canada, US/əˈlɪps/Canada, US/iˈlɪps/Canada, US
  1. A closed curve, the locus of a point such that the sum of the distances from that point to two other fixed points (called the foci of the ellipse) is constant; equivalently, the conic section that is the intersection of a cone with a plane that does not intersect the base of the cone.

  2. Alternative form of ellipsis: the removal from a phrase of a word which is grammatically needed, but which is clearly understood without having to be stated.

    alt-of · alternative
Where this word comes from

From French ellipse. Learned borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis). Doublet of ellipsis.

verb/ɪˈlɪps/UK/ɪˈlɪps/Canada, US/əˈlɪps/Canada, US/iˈlɪps/Canada, US
  1. To remove from a phrase a word which is grammatically needed, but which is clearly understood without having to be stated.

Where this word comes from

From French ellipse. Learned borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis). Doublet of ellipsis.

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Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.