Etymology From French ellipse. Learned borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis). Doublet of ellipsis.
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Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences 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.
Near-synonym: oval (synonymous in non-technical use)
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Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, SciencesAlternative 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.
Etymology From French ellipse. Learned borrowing from Latin ellīpsis, itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ἔλλειψις (élleipsis). Doublet of ellipsis.
1
Grammar, Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences 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 words that are ellipsed are go out.