el·lip·tic

(ĭ-lĭp′tĭk) or el·lip·ti·cal (-tĭ-kəl)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or having the shape of an ellipse.

2. Containing or characterized by ellipsis.

a. Of or relating to extreme economy of oral or written expression.

b. Marked by deliberate obscurity of style or expression.

[New Latin ellīpticus, from Greek elleiptikos, defective, from elleipsis, a falling short, ellipsis; see ellipsis.]

el·lip′ti·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

elliptical

(ɪˈlɪptɪkəl) or

elliptic

adj

1. (Mathematics) relating to or having the shape of an ellipse

2. (Grammar) relating to or resulting from ellipsis

3. (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) (of speech, literary style, etc)

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

b. circumlocutory or long-winded

Also (for senses 1, 2): elliptic

elˈliptically adv

elˈlipticalness n

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 and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

el•lip•ti•cal

(ɪˈlɪp tɪ kəl)

adj. Also, el•lip′tic.

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

2. pertaining to or marked by grammatical ellipsis.

a. characterized by extreme economy of expression in speech or writing.

b. ambiguous; cryptic; obscure.

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

el•lip′ti•cal•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	elliptical - rounded like an egg egg-shaped, oval, oval-shaped, oviform, ovoid, prolate, ovate, elliptic rounded - curving and somewhat round in shape rather than jagged; "low rounded hills"; "rounded shoulders"
	2.	elliptical - 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 elliptic concise - expressing much in few words; "a concise explanation"

elliptical

elliptic

adjective

1. oval, egg-shaped, ovoid, ovate, ellipsoidal, oviform the moon's elliptical orbit

2. oblique, concentrated, obscure, compact, indirect, ambiguous, concise, condensed, terse, cryptic, laconic, abstruse, recondite elliptical references to matters best not discussed in public

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

ellipseformetelliptisk

elliptisch

ελλειπτικός

elliptique ellipsoïde

elliptikus

sporöskjulaga

ellipseformet elliptisk

eliptyczny

elíptico

эллиптический

eliptický

elliptisk

elips biçiminde

椭圆的

elliptical

[ɪˈlɪptɪkəl] ADJ → elíptico

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

elliptical

[ɪˈlɪptɪk^əl] adj

(= oval) [shape, arch] → elliptique; [orbit] → elliptique

(= indirect) [remark] → elliptique

elliptical

[ɪˈlɪptɪk/əl] elliptic [ɪˈlɪptɪk] adj → ellittico/a

ellipse

(iˈlips) noun

a geometrical figure that is a regular oval.

elˈliptical adjective