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Webster 1913 Edition


Ellipse

El-lipse′

(ĕl-lĭps′)
,
Noun.
[Gr.
ἔλλειψις
, prop., a defect, the inclination of the ellipse to the base of the cone being in defect when compared with that of the side to the base: cf. F.
ellipse
. See
Ellipsis
.]
1.
(Geom.)
An oval or oblong figure, bounded by a regular curve, which corresponds to an oblique projection of a circle, or an oblique section of a cone through its opposite sides. The greatest diameter of the ellipse is the major axis, and the least diameter is the minor axis. See
Conic section
, under
Conic
, and cf.
Focus
.
2.
(Gram.)
Omission. See
Ellipsis
.
3.
The elliptical orbit of a planet.
The Sun flies forward to his brother Sun;
The dark Earth follows wheeled in her
ellipse
.
Tennyson.

Webster 1828 Edition


Ellipse

ELLIPSE

,
Noun.
ellips'. An ellipsis.

Definition 2024


Ellipse

Ellipse

See also: ellipse

German

Alternative forms

  • Elipse, Ellypse, Elypse

Noun

Ellipse f (genitive Ellipse, plural Ellipsen)

  1. (mathematics) ellipse
  2. ellipsis

Declension

ellipse

ellipse

See also: Ellipse

English

Noun

ellipse (plural ellipses)

  1. (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.

Synonyms

  • oval (in non-technical use)

Translations

Verb

ellipse (third-person singular simple present ellipses, present participle ellipsing, simple past and past participle ellipsed)

  1. (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 words that are ellipsed are go out.

Related terms

See also


French

Etymology

From Latin ellipsis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /e.lips/

Noun

ellipse f (plural ellipses)

  1. (mathematics) ellipse
  2. (grammar) ellipsis

Latin

Noun

ellipse

  1. ablative singular of ellipsis