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ELLIPTICAL - 3 dictionary results

el⋅lip⋅ti⋅cal

[i-lip-ti-kuhl]
–adjective Also, el⋅lip⋅tic.
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.
–noun
5. Astronomy. elliptical galaxy.

Origin:
1650–60; < Gk elleiptik(ós) defective (see ellipsis, -tic ) + -al 1


el⋅lip⋅ti⋅cal⋅ness, noun

elliptical galaxy

–noun Astronomy.
a type of galaxy having the shape of a spheroid or ellipsoid, rather than a disk.
Also called elliptical, E galaxy.
el·lip·tic   (ĭ-lĭp'tĭk)   
adj.  
  1. Of, relating to, or having the shape of an ellipse.
  2. Containing or characterized by ellipsis.
    1. Of or relating to extreme economy of oral or written expression.
    2. 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.
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