[i-lips] 
| a plane curve such that the sums of the distances of each point in its periphery from two fixed points, the foci, are equal. It is a conic section formed by the intersection of a right circular cone by a plane that cuts the axis and the surface of the cone. Typical equation: (x2/a2) + (y2/b2) = 1. If a = b the ellipse is a circle. |
[i-lip-sis] [-seez] . | 1. | Grammar.
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| 2. | Printing. a mark or marks as ——, …, or * * *, to indicate an omission or suppression of letters or words. |
el·lipse (ĭ-lĭps')  (click for larger image in new window) n.
[French, from Latin ellīpsis, from Greek elleipsis, a falling short, ellipse, from elleipein, to fall short (from the relationship between the line joining the vertices of a conic and the line through the focus and parallel to the directrix of a conic) : en-, in; see en-2 + leipein, to leave; see leikw- in Indo-European roots.] |
| el·lip·sis (ĭ-lĭp'sĭs) n. pl. el·lip·ses (-sēz)
[Latin ellīpsis, from Greek elleipsis, from elleipein, to fall short; see ellipse.] |
A punctuation mark (&ellipsis;) used most often within quotations to indicate that something has been left out. For example, if we leave out parts of the above definition, it can read: “A punctuation mark (&ellipsis;) used most often &ellipsis; to indicate&ellipsis4;”
In geometry, a curve traced out by a point that is required to move so that the sum of its distances from two fixed points (called foci) remains constant. If the foci are identical with each other, the ellipse is a circle; if the two foci are distinct from each other, the ellipse looks like a squashed or elongated circle.
Note: The orbits of the planets and of many comets are ellipses.
