Adjacent Words

elliptical definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: rounded like an egg [syn: egg-shaped, elliptic, elliptical, oval, oval-shaped, ovate, oviform, ovoid, prolate]
2: characterized by extreme economy of expression or omission of superfluous elements; "the dialogue is elliptic and full of dark hints"; "the explanation was concise, even elliptical to the verge of obscurity"- H.O.Taylor [syn: elliptic, elliptical]

Merriam Webster's

or elliptic adjective Etymology: Greek elleiptikos defective, marked by ellipsis, from elleipein Date: 1656 1. of, relating to, or shaped like an ellipse 2. a. of, relating to, or marked by ellipsis or an ellipsis b. (1) of, relating to, or marked by extreme economy of speech or writing (2) of or relating to deliberate obscurity (as of literary or conversational style) • elliptically adverb

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Elliptic El*lip"tic, Elliptical El*lip"tic*al, a. [Gr. ?: cf. F. elliptique. See Ellipsis.] 1. Of or pertaining to an ellipse; having the form of an ellipse; oblong, with rounded ends. The planets move in elliptic orbits. --Cheyne. 2. Having a part omitted; as, an elliptical phrase. Elliptic chuck. See under Chuck. Elliptic compasses, an instrument arranged for drawing ellipses. Elliptic function. (Math.) See Function. Elliptic integral. (Math.) See Integral. Elliptic polarization. See under Polarization.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. Something that is elliptical has the shape of an ellipse. (FORMAL) ...the moon's elliptical orbit... ADJ 2. Elliptical references to something are indirect rather than clear. (FORMAL) ...elliptical references to problems best not aired in public. = oblique ? direct ADJ • elliptically He spoke only briefly and elliptically about the mission. ADV: ADV after v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. See elliptic

Moby Thesaurus

Spartan, abbreviated, abridged, abstracted, aposiopestic, bell-like, bell-shaped, bobbed, brief, brusque, campaniform, campanular, campanulate, capsule, capsulized, clipped, close, compact, compendious, compressed, concise, condensed, contracted, crisp, cropped, curt, curtailed, cut, cut short, digested, docked, elided, ellipsoid, elliptic, elongated, epigrammatic, gnomic, laconic, mowed, mown, nipped, oblong, oblongated, oblongitudinal, parabolic, pithy, pointed, pollard, polled, pruned, reaped, rectangular, reserved, saucer-shaped, sententious, shaved, sheared, short, short and sweet, short-cut, shortened, snub, snubbed, succinct, summary, synopsized, taciturn, terse, tight, to the point, trimmed, truncated