elliptical

American  

[ih-lip-ti-kuhl] / ɪˈlɪp tɪ kəl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or having the form of an ellipse.

2. pertaining to or marked by grammatical ellipsis.

3. (of speech or writing) expressed with extreme or excessive economy; relieved of irrelevant matter.

   to converse in elliptical sentences.

4. (of a style of speaking or writing) tending to be ambiguous, cryptic, or obscure.

   an elliptical prose that is difficult to translate.

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noun

1. Astronomy. elliptical galaxy.

elliptical British  

/ ɪˈlɪptɪkəl /

adjective

1. relating to or having the shape of an ellipse

2. relating to or resulting from ellipsis

3. 1. very condensed or concise, often so as to be obscure or ambiguous

   2. circumlocutory or long-winded

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Usage

The use of elliptical to mean circumlocutory should be avoided as it may be interpreted wrongly as meaning condensed or concise

Other Word Forms

• elliptically adverb
• ellipticalness noun
• nonelliptic adjective
• nonelliptical adjective
• nonelliptically adverb
• overelliptical adjective
• overelliptically adverb
• subelliptic adjective
• subelliptical adjective
• unelliptical adjective

Etymology

Origin of elliptical

1650–60; < Greek elleiptik ( ós ) defective ( ellipsis, -tic ) + -al ¹

Example Sentences

“True, we’ve had misunderstandings. Though the ring knows when I’ve been walking, it confuses my harried morning routine for housework. After making a dinner one night, the ring asked whether I’d been on the elliptical.”

From The Wall Street Journal

After making a dinner one night, the ring asked whether I’d been on the elliptical.

From The Wall Street Journal

Some exoplanets follow highly elliptical orbits, meaning the amount of heat they receive from their star changes significantly over time.

From Science Daily

This elliptical approach is in part its strength, subtly illuminating how trying to move past one tragedy may bring a family to the precipice of another.

From The Wall Street Journal

Beyond the elliptical machines, the sweat-inducing yoga classes or weights, it’s the community that makes Everybody Gym strong.

From Los Angeles Times