Ellipse Definition

ĭ-lĭps

ellipses

noun

ellipses

The path of a point that moves so that the sum of its distances from two fixed points, the foci, is constant; closed curve formed by the section of a cone cut by a plane less steeply inclined than the side of the cone.

Webster's New World

A plane curve, especially:

American Heritage

Ellipsis.

American Heritage

(geometry) 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.

Wiktionary

Synonyms:

verb

(grammar) To remove from a phrase a word which is grammatically needed, but which is clearly understood without having to be stated.

In B's response to A's question:- (A: Would you like to go out?, B: I'd love to), the ellipsed words are go out.

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Ellipse

Noun

Singular:

ellipse

Plural:

ellipses

Origin of Ellipse

French from Latin ellīpsis from Greek elleipsis a falling short, ellipse from elleipein to fall short (from the relationship between the line joining the vertices of a conic and the line through the focus and parallel to the directrix of a conic) en- in en–² leipein to leave leikw- in Indo-European roots

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From French ellipse.

From Wiktionary