definitions

elliptical

[ ih-lip-ti-kuh l ]
/ ɪˈlɪp tɪ kəl /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR elliptical ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective Also el·lip·tic.

pertaining to or having the form of an ellipse.
pertaining to or marked by grammatical ellipsis.
(of speech or writing) expressed with extreme or excessive economy; relieved of irrelevant matter: to converse in elliptical sentences.
(of a style of speaking or writing) tending to be ambiguous, cryptic, or obscure: an elliptical prose that is difficult to translate.

noun

Astronomy. elliptical galaxy.

RELATED WORDS

lumpy, asymmetrical, elliptical, jagged, craggy, unbalanced, bent, eccentric, wobbly, variable, rough, aberrant, ovoid, oblong, amorphous, broken, cockeyed, crooked, devious, disproportionate

Nearby words

elliptic function, elliptic geometry, elliptic integral, elliptic paraboloid, elliptic spring, elliptical, elliptical amputation, elliptical galaxy, elliptical light, elliptical polarization, elliptical trainer

Origin of elliptical

1650–60; < Greek elleiptik(ós) defective (see ellipsis, -tic) + -al1

Related forms

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for elliptic

British Dictionary definitions for elliptic

elliptical

/ (ɪˈlɪptɪkəl) /

adjective

relating to or having the shape of an ellipse
relating to or resulting from ellipsis
(of speech, literary style, etc)
  1. very condensed or concise, often so as to be obscure or ambiguous
  2. circumlocutory or long-winded
Also (for senses 1, 2): elliptic

Derived Forms

elliptically, adverbellipticalness, noun

usage

The use of elliptical to mean circumlocutory should be avoided as it may be interpreted wrongly as meaning condensed or concise
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012