ellipsis

American  

[ih-lip-sis] / ɪˈlɪp sɪs /

noun

plural

ellipses

1. Grammar.

   1. the omission from a sentence or other construction of one or more words that would complete or clarify the construction, as the omission of who are, while I am, or while we are from I like to interview people sitting down.

   2. the omission of one or more items from a construction in order to avoid repeating the identical or equivalent items that are in a preceding or following construction, as the omission of been to Paris from the second clause of I've been to Paris, but they haven't.

2. Printing. a mark or marks as ——, …, or * * *, to indicate an omission or suppression of letters or words.

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ellipsis British  

/ ɪˈlɪpsɪs /

noun

1. Also called: eclipsis.  omission of parts of a word or sentence

2. printing a sequence of three dots (…) indicating an omission in text

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ellipsis Cultural  

1. A punctuation mark (…) used most often within quotations to indicate that something has been left out. For example, if we leave out parts of the above definition, it can read: “A punctuation mark (…) used most often … to indicate….”

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Etymology

Origin of ellipsis

First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin ellīpsis, from Greek élleipsis “omission,” from el- (variant of en- en- ² ) + leip-, stem of leípein “to leave” + -sis -sis

Example Sentences

Though the title jams everybody together in one breathless, unpunctuated rush, this is very much a movie about distance within families; an ellipsis between each word might have been apt.

From The Wall Street Journal

Roberts created it with an ellipsis that edited out the actual law and created what can only be seen as a deliberate misapplication of precedent.

From Salon

He inserted this ellipsis, so the sentence meant the literal opposite of what it had actually said.

From Salon

In the premiere, the drama revolves around the dreaded disappearing ellipsis — that feeling when you can see someone typing and then it stops.

From Los Angeles Times

Her sentences end not in periods but in ellipses.

From Los Angeles Times