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ellipsis
6 dictionary results for: ellipsis
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
el·lip·sis       [i-lip-sis] Pronunciation Key
–noun, plural -ses       [-seez] Pronunciation Key.
1.Grammar.
a.the omission from a sentence or other construction of one or more words that would complete or clarify the construction, as the omission of who are, while I am, or while we are from I like to interview people sitting down.
b.the omission of one or more items from a construction in order to avoid repeating the identical or equivalent items that are in a preceding or following construction, as the omission of been to Paris from the second clause of I've been to Paris, but they haven't.
2.Printing. a mark or marks as ——, …, or * * *, to indicate an omission or suppression of letters or words.
[Origin: 1560–70; < L ellīpsis < Gk élleipsis an omission, equiv. to el- (var. of en- en-2) + leip- (s. of leípein to leave) + -sis -sis]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
el·lip·sis       (ĭ-lĭp'sĭs)  Pronunciation Key 
n.   pl. el·lip·ses (-sēz)
    1. The omission of a word or phrase necessary for a complete syntactical construction but not necessary for understanding.
    2. An example of such omission.
  2. A mark or series of marks ( . . . or * * * , for example) used in writing or printing to indicate an omission, especially of letters or words.


[Latin ellīpsis, from Greek elleipsis, from elleipein, to fall short; see ellipse.]

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ellipsis 
1570, from L. ellipsis, from Gk. elleipsis "a falling short, defect, ellipse," from elleipein "to fall short, leave out," from en- "in" + leipein "to leave" (see relinquish). Grammatical sense first recorded 1612.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
ellipsis

noun
omission or suppression of parts of words or sentences 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
ellipsis [(i-lip-sis)]

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: ®ÄúA punctuation mark (&ellipsis;) used most often &ellipsis; to indicate&ellipsis4;®Äù


The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Ellipsis

El*lip"sis\, n.; pl. Ellipses. [L., fr. Gr. ? a leaving, defect, fr. ? to leave in fall short; ? in + ? to leave. See In, and Loan, and cf. Ellipse.]

1. (Gram.) Omission; a figure of syntax, by which one or more words, which are obviously understood, are omitted; as, the virtues I admire, for, the virtues which I admire.

2. (Geom.) An ellipse. [Obs.]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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